Diane Fleischmann, Cielo's vice president of healthcare client services, spoke to Becker's ASC Review about the challenges of recruiting outpatient talent and shared strategies for success.
Cielo, a provider of recruitment process outsourcing and talent acquisition solutions, partnered with Milwaukee-based Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin to tackle the challenges of talent shortages — read Froedtert's perspective here.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for style and clarity.
Question: What's the No. 1 challenge healthcare providers face when recruiting outpatient staff?
Diane Fleischmann: Healthcare leaders look to fill outpatient positions with experienced team members who will independently provide care for patients whose needs range in complexity. Attracting experienced staff away from inpatient settings is challenging, as outpatient settings tend to have lower pay scales in comparison.
Q: What qualities make someone a great candidate for the outpatient space?
DF: A great candidate has the ability to work autonomously with a wide variety of patient needs, has a strong knowledge of medications and has strong assessment skills. Additionally, they must have the ability to work collaboratively with physicians and the entire care team.
Q: On the flip side, what qualities make someone a not-so-great fit for the outpatient space?
DF: Undesirable qualities include the inability to work independently and collaboratively with the care team. Likewise, these providers lack confidence in their assessment skills.
Q: What can healthcare organizations do to ensure they hire great outpatient talent in a timely fashion?
DF: Organizations need to streamline the interview process in order to make it easy for candidates. By conducting the hiring leader, peer and physician interviews on the same day, candidates will not need to come back multiple times. Organizations should train leaders to hire to the role and move away from the need to compare talent. Lastly, organizations should equip leaders to provide candidates with a contingent offer prior to leaving the facility so they do not have to wait or have the time to explore other opportunities.
Q: From a cost perspective, why is it important to have an efficient hiring strategy?
DF: When outpatient facilities are not able to effectively hire enough talent, they may look to travelers, premium pay practices or overtime to staff their needs — all of which are very costly to the organization.
Want to participate in future Q&As? Email Angie Stewart: astewart@beckershealthcare.com.