Here are four steps for attracting the best orthopedic surgeon to your practice.
1. Develop the subspecialty program. Program development is key in recruitment of physicians and marketing that specialty to patients by essentially building programs around orthopedics, says Jeremy Bradshaw, vice president of operations at Denver-based HealthOne, which includes 12 surgery centers. For example, we just formed a sports medicine institute at one of our locations, Centennial Medical Plaza, which includes a new pediatric orthopedic facility for kids and adolescents. Through that, we've recruited physicians from another facility because we didn't have enough physicians from this particular specialty. Marketing efforts are underway to promote that program.
From "Tip: Using Program Development to Expand Your Orthopedic-Driven ASC."
2. Contact candidates from the employed surgeons' networks. According to Lori Ramirez, founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates, the best way to get interest from physicians is through their peers. She advises ASCs not to waste time cold-calling physicians to increase referrals. "We find physicians that have influence, and we task them with recruiting other physicians when we start the partnership," she said. When you're initially discussing the partnership between a physician and your ASC, ask the physician if he or she is willing to take responsibility for physician referrals.
From "5 things to Know About Physician Relationships in the ASC."
3. Look for medical students from the community. Contact medical students who grew up in or near your community and recruit them to return after they've earned their degrees, says B.J. Millar, a director in Quorum Health Resources' physicians services practice. Offer to provide stipends during their time in medical school and throughout their residencies if they agree to return after their training. The hospital is taking a risk by offering these types of incentive programs because the students are not contractually bound to honor the agreement. However, the program could be beneficial to entice students back who already have links in the community. "It's a long-term project," says Mr. Millar. "But what hospitals hope is that they'll have a solid provider who is tied to the community by a lot more strings than just having a job there."
From "3 Ways for Smaller Orthopedic Surgery Centers and Hospitals to Successful Recruit Physicians."
4. Build technology and staff around the open position. The hospital or surgery center needs to have the surgical instruments, a spine surgery table, C-arm for spine surgery and other tools available for the spine surgeon to use during operations. The provider also needs the appropriate ancillary services and diagnostic tools on hand. This can be problematic for hospitals in smaller cities because spine surgery equipment is often expensive, says Donald Corenman, MD, a spine surgeon with The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo. "If the hospital doesn't want to invest in the equipment, they will have a hard time attracting spine surgeons," he says. If an industrial representative is available in the area, he or she can bring the tools to the hospital when the spine surgeon needs them for cases. In addition to supporting the surgeon, the provider must employ a team of nurses and other professionals, such as interventionalists and anesthesiologists, to work alongside the surgeon. While these professionals are necessary, the hospital can bill the team as working around the spine surgeon.
From "5 Tactics for Bringing Spine Surgeons to Smaller Hospitals."
1. Develop the subspecialty program. Program development is key in recruitment of physicians and marketing that specialty to patients by essentially building programs around orthopedics, says Jeremy Bradshaw, vice president of operations at Denver-based HealthOne, which includes 12 surgery centers. For example, we just formed a sports medicine institute at one of our locations, Centennial Medical Plaza, which includes a new pediatric orthopedic facility for kids and adolescents. Through that, we've recruited physicians from another facility because we didn't have enough physicians from this particular specialty. Marketing efforts are underway to promote that program.
From "Tip: Using Program Development to Expand Your Orthopedic-Driven ASC."
2. Contact candidates from the employed surgeons' networks. According to Lori Ramirez, founder, president and CEO of Elite Surgical Affiliates, the best way to get interest from physicians is through their peers. She advises ASCs not to waste time cold-calling physicians to increase referrals. "We find physicians that have influence, and we task them with recruiting other physicians when we start the partnership," she said. When you're initially discussing the partnership between a physician and your ASC, ask the physician if he or she is willing to take responsibility for physician referrals.
From "5 things to Know About Physician Relationships in the ASC."
3. Look for medical students from the community. Contact medical students who grew up in or near your community and recruit them to return after they've earned their degrees, says B.J. Millar, a director in Quorum Health Resources' physicians services practice. Offer to provide stipends during their time in medical school and throughout their residencies if they agree to return after their training. The hospital is taking a risk by offering these types of incentive programs because the students are not contractually bound to honor the agreement. However, the program could be beneficial to entice students back who already have links in the community. "It's a long-term project," says Mr. Millar. "But what hospitals hope is that they'll have a solid provider who is tied to the community by a lot more strings than just having a job there."
From "3 Ways for Smaller Orthopedic Surgery Centers and Hospitals to Successful Recruit Physicians."
4. Build technology and staff around the open position. The hospital or surgery center needs to have the surgical instruments, a spine surgery table, C-arm for spine surgery and other tools available for the spine surgeon to use during operations. The provider also needs the appropriate ancillary services and diagnostic tools on hand. This can be problematic for hospitals in smaller cities because spine surgery equipment is often expensive, says Donald Corenman, MD, a spine surgeon with The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo. "If the hospital doesn't want to invest in the equipment, they will have a hard time attracting spine surgeons," he says. If an industrial representative is available in the area, he or she can bring the tools to the hospital when the spine surgeon needs them for cases. In addition to supporting the surgeon, the provider must employ a team of nurses and other professionals, such as interventionalists and anesthesiologists, to work alongside the surgeon. While these professionals are necessary, the hospital can bill the team as working around the spine surgeon.
From "5 Tactics for Bringing Spine Surgeons to Smaller Hospitals."