According to CNN, the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals is slated to reach a crisis level by 2025. An unprecedented rise in the aging population is the main driving force behind the crisis. Medical innovations are keeping us alive for far longer, but at what cost?
As a healthcare organization, you know what you’re up against. Mid-career nurses are leaving in higher droves than before. The Nursing and Midwifery Council reports that almost 5,000 mid-career nurses (between the ages of 41 and 50) left its register in 2017. An astounding 44% who left cited poor working conditions as the main reason for their departure.
Meanwhile, a new AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) study reports that the United States healthcare industry is slated to face a shortage of more than 100,000 doctors by 2030. The AAMC calls for greater federal support of residency programs to solve the problem.
These statistics are sobering, but you can use them inject efficiency into your healthcare hiring process. In turn, your organization will weather evolving changes better than most.
Healthcare Recruiters Should Use Leading-Edge Technology To Scout Out The Best Talent
The world of AI is a vast field of possibilities. If recent movies like Blade Runner 2049 and Ex Machina are any indication, AI is a national obsession. However, AI is more than just bio-engineered humans powered by complex circuitry. You can also leverage AI to streamline your hiring process.
Studies show that it takes an average of 42 days to fill a position. With the average cost-per-hire at $4,129, recruiting is a time-consuming and expensive process.
AI-based recruiting software effortlessly winnows the applicant field. You interview only the most qualified or short-listed candidates.
Emphasize Benefits To Attract The Best Candidates
The statistics show that mandatory overtime and floating schedules may be fueling the worst of the hiring crisis. Both are exacerbated by the tendency of hospital administrators to under-staff shifts. A 2014 Lancet study reported that under-staffing leads to a 7% increase of inpatients dying within 30 days of admission. Under-staffing also leads to high nurse burnout rates. According to a study, almost 50% of RNs under 30 and 40% of RNs over 30 have experienced burnout syndrome.
In New Jersey, experts have projected an alarming shortfall of 40,000 nurses by 2020. So, what’s a healthcare organization to do? To begin, optimize job descriptions with language that emphasizes concrete benefits: shorter work weeks, ample vacation time, substantial sign-on bonuses, free housing, and generous tuition reimbursement programs.
Take Inova Health System (based in Washington D.C.) for instance. It’s offering a $20,000 sign-on bonus and up to $20,000 in reimbursable relocation costs for critical care nurses. The bottom line? Generous financial incentives and vacation policies are key to retaining the best talents in the industry.
Partner With The Right Organizations To Make Optimal Connections
For many organizations, working with the right partners is key to making the recruiting process more efficient. An important partner is a national job board like CareerBuilder, which in turn collaborates with organizations such as the American Medical Women’s Association, the Student Doctor Network, and the National Pharmacy Technician Association. Leverage such a partnership to reap substantial cost-per-hire savings.
Meanwhile, the National Commission For Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) certifies health education professionals. Consider listing your organization as one of over 300 healthcare entities that accept NCHEC-based certifications. This substantially winnows the applicant field to those with impeccable credentials.
Work With A Healthcare Staffing Agency To Design A Winning Strategy
Certainly, the above constitutes important first steps towards making the recruiting process more efficient.
But, there’s another viable option: partnership with a healthcare staffing agency such as Vitalis Consulting. Still skeptical? Consider these 5 reasons Vitalis can make your recruiting process substantially more efficient. With Vitalis, you can decrease your cost-per-hire and increase the quality of your applicant field.
If the prospect of paying out 5-figure sign-on bonuses is financially daunting, Vitalis can help you explore options to attract the best candidates.
So, if you’re ready to simplify your life, contact us. Let Vitalis do the heavy lifting while you reap the benefits of a winning strategy. We work with healthcare recruiters to make your job easier and get you the best candidates.