“SpineSearch LLC is honored to have the opportunity to work with one of the finest GPOs, Premier, and its members on Physician Staffing,” said SpineSearch LLC CEO & Founder Nicola Hawkinson. This will allow Premier and SpineSearch to better serve the healthcare providers throughout the United States

SpineSearch will be offering Premier alliance members the ability to tap into our network of Physicians. SpineSearch’s ability to place qualified candidates to specific institutions comes from the clinical backgrounds and qualifications of the SpineSearch team, along with a substantial database of prescreened candidates. CEO and Founder, Nicola Hawkinson, uses her clinical background to expertly find and place candidates for potential employers. SpineSearch has a database filled with thousands of applicants that have pre-screening interviews with a member of the SpineSearch team, and continue on to potential employers. This selection process is what differentiates SpineSearch from other recruitment agencies. Premier members will have the means to pick Physicians that are competent leaders in their field in a seamless process without the worries of negotiating terms and or pricing because of their relationship with Premier.

About the Premier healthcare alliance, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient
Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and 81,000-plus other healthcare sites using the power of collaboration to lead the transformation to high quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier maintains the nation’s most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier has worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. http://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected with Premier on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About Supplier SpineSearch LLC
The SpineSearch mission is steadfast in providing a superior network between highly qualified healthcare professionals, medical specialists, and healthcare facilities. Our vision is to provide a cutting edge network within the medical field and its professionals. We are focused exclusively to the healthcare field and offer a unique level of expertise in the industry. SpineSearch is led by experts in the industry who are knowledgeable about every dimension of the field. We invoke a commitment to those employed in the industry, offering continued education and career building symposiums, focusing on job satisfaction and decreased turnover. A community network of medical professionals dedicated to the future of healthcare. SpineSearch is certified as a women’s business enterprise through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the US. We recognize the commitment to supplier diversity that is embraced by corporations and government agencies today, and we can add diversity to your supply chain. http://www.spine-search.com/ Stay in touch with SpineSearch LLC on FaceBook, Twitter and .. Linkedin

SpineSearch had a successful evening at the CareerMD fair in New York City this week.  Residents and Fellows from the local area attended CareerMD in search of a perfect job opportunity to start their career. In addition, physician assistant students gathered alongside to learn about some of the upcoming job opportunities in 2012.

SpineSearch representatives spoke with the Residents and Fellows about broader career-planning issues such as employment trends in the fields of orthopedics, neurosurgery and pain management.  The Residents and Fellows that attended had all different medical specialty backgrounds.  SpineSearch is now expanding rapidly into different subspecialties which allowed us to be able to offer our services to this diverse population.  We look forward to seeing you at the SpineSearch booth, we would love to help educate you on our various job opportunities located across the country.

by Jeffrey W. Shapiro, Recruiter with SpineSearch LLC

2012 has arrived, without a doubt, most of you have set your resolutions and already feel overwhelmed by how to keep them. Fear not my friends, I am here to help!
Like me I’m sure a great number of you set your focus on weight loss or being healthy, some of you no doubt may even be targeting that “dream job.” As a professional recruiter, I am here to help. What I present to you is a basic outline of little known yeas & nays in world of human resources.

Today’s global economy is flooded in just about every market with “qualified” applicants. You need to think of your resume as the coming attraction to this summer blockbuster movie. Your CV should serve as nothing but a way to make whoever is holding it, want to meet you; Just like a coming attraction is geared towards making you go see the film.

Do’s
• Avoid over-writing. It’s reader is not inclined to struggle through flowery prose.
• Place your work experience first! (Unless you posses multiple advance degrees)
• Follow the 1 page rule.
• Emphasize your ROI (return on investment) Companies are in business to make money (or else its a hobby), stress how you can directly impact their bottom line.

Don’ts
• Planning to include personal references? Don’t! A potential employer is interested in references only if he or she is considering hiring you.
• Put anything involving salary. Best left to negotiation when you are officially offered the job.
• Lie – Immediate grounds for dismissal, falsely representing yourself will come back to haunt you.
• Over use fancy adjectives

After you’ve sent out hundreds of resumes, finally, you got the call. It’s time to prepare (yes I said prepare) for your interview. No one looks to make a lateral move, we all want to climb the latter and advance our careers. If your going to be serious about getting the gig it’s time to do your homework. First and foremost, know what job your interviewing for as well as the service the company provides.

Do’s
• Map out your route, take a test run and leave time for traffic. Your goal is to be there 10-15 early.
• Greet the receptionist, a warm smile and handshake go a long way. Not to mention most executives ask for feedback from their right hand, the receptionist.
• Remember your are conducting an interview as well, you want to make sure this is a right fit for you.
• Close your interview bye informing them you are interested in the position.
• Follow up with a letter, within 24 hours.

Don’t
• Inquire about salary, vacation, bonuses, benefits or retirement until after you are offered the position.
• Chew gun, answer your cell phone.
• Answer any questions with a simple yes or no.
• Bad mouth a previous employer.

Weekly, if not daily reports of layoffs make it easy in these trying times to take your eye off the ball. You have to learn how to spin sell, for example, never before have we seen so many opportunities for a qualified individual. Whether your looking for your first job, switching careers or re-entering the job market, this simple guide of little known tricks of the trade may help you separate yourself from another candidate, GOOD LUCK & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You’ve spent thousands of dollars to recruit a physician for your practice, invited the doctor for site visits, paid advertising costs, legal and agency fees, and a slew of other expenses; but, after the honeymoon is over, and the contract is up, the physician decides to move on. Annually, about 10% of them do seek opportunities elsewhere. Not only have you lost the money you have invested to recruit, credential and on-board the physician, but now the loss of potential revenue looms—which can be in the high 6 to 7 figures respectively.

Among the physicians who leave a group, nearly half do so within the first 3 years. Why do they leave? There are common reasons. Often, job expectations are not made clear during the recruitment process. Typically these include: the amount of patients seen on a given day, call schedule, in-patient responsibilities, and the expectation to work on weekends and evenings. The most common reason, however, is that they may feel as though they are just not the right ‘fit’ with the other physicians in the group.

One way to insure that a recruit would be a good fit with the group, is to establish what the common values of the group are, and convey those to the candidate during the recruitment process. Also, involve other physicians in the practice in the interview process to determine if the candidate would be a good fit. Some may say that the best retention strategy is to hire the right physician in the first place.
Some issues are more challenging: feeling unappreciated, no involvement in the decision making process, no opportunity for partnership. And some things can’t be avoided, like the desire to be closer to family. But turnover is costly; therefore have a retention plan in place before recruitment begins. There are many success stories out there, but develop a plan that is unique for your practice; one size does not fit all. Have a plan that is at least a three year process. Start by providing enough startup resources, a mentor, and feedback which is crucial in the early stages.

Date August 4, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Nicola Hawkinson
Office: 646-794-8656
Fax: 212-208-3084
Nicola@spine-search.com

New York, NY – August 4, 2011 – SpineSearch LLC, a business specializing in, recruitment, educational, and marketing services for spine practices, received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women Presidents’ Educational Organization – New York Certification Committee, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

WBENC’s national standard of certification implemented by the Women Presidents’ Educational Organization – New York Certification Committee is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations, and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier/vendor diversity programs.

To learn more about SpineSearch LLC, please visit www.spine-search.com

About SpineSearch LLC
The SpineSearch mission is steadfast in providing a superior network between highly qualified healthcare professionals, spine specialists, and healthcare facilities. Our vision is to provide a cutting edge network within the spine field and its professionals. We are focused exclusively to the field of spine medicine and offer a unique level of expertise in the spine industry.
SpineSearch is an organization that provides recruitment, educational, and marketing services for spine practices. SpineSearch is led by experts in the industry who are knowledgeable about every dimension of the field. We invoke a commitment to those employed in the industry, offering continued education and career building symposiums, focusing on job satisfaction and decreased turnover. A community network of spine professionals dedicated to the future of spine, truly a revolutionary “way of spine”.

About WBENC
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC is a resource for the more than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on WBENC’s certification as an integral part of their supplier diversity programs.

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How does the current physician shortage affect medical practices?

Currently employed physicians are working longer hours and have to cover call more frequently — This all equates to higher compensation for recruited physicians, both senior and new.

How many calls does the average graduating resident receive and how does a hiring group compete for those new graduates?

According to MGMA over half of graduating residents receive between 51-100 solicitations. If you work with a hiring firm such as SpineSearch it will bring your practice more attention. SpineSearch attends many national events geared at Residents & Fellows and when they are looking for candidates with a retained job in hand your practice has very good exposure in this competitive, physician, hiring landscape.

Who can a medical group partner with to help cover recruitment costs?

The recruitment arrangement exception allows practices to seek assistance from a hospital under the Stark Laws prohibiting physician self-referral. This allows your medical group to seek assistance, when hiring physicians and offering competitive packages which may include medical school debt repayment assistance, guaranteed salary, paying recruitment firm fees, or continuing education allowances.

What are some ways to separate yourself from all the others competing for the tight physician pool?

New Physicians are not only looking for a job but also to see the total package that will help them succeed in their new practice

1. Offer guidance in new methods of patient acquisition such as social media (FaceBook, Twitter, Patient Blogs….)

2. Offer guidance in new methods to work with referring physicians using new media (LinkedIn, Physician facing Blogs, writing for online patient facing websites & peer review websites …)

3. Provide some assistance with the groups general marketing practices….One of the scariest things to new physicians is how to gain a patient base that will substantiate their pay

Keep in mind when hiring new physicians
It’s not always easy

Selecting the right physician candidate for your practice is never easy, and there’s always an element of the surprise. Taking this into consideration you can increase your odds for success by carefully evaluating each candidate in relationship to the needs of the practice and the specific position you have to offer.

One example: Work-life balance has been cited numerous times, by many publications, as one of the most important considerations among young physicians. According to multiple surveys the number of physicians who choose to work part-time and or flex time has increased dramatically in recent years. More doctors are likely to be women who, historically and statistically, will be more likely to seek part-time or flex-time working environments. These women are talented doctors and just because they are looking for flex time shouldn’t mean to ignore them. This actually presents a very interesting hiring tool when trying to effecentiely and economically staff your practice. The industry has an ever increasing gender shift and medical practices have to remember new physicians are planning families.

What once was an incentive offered to a physician, on occasion, for hard-to-fill jobs – signing bonuses for new physician hires have become not only the norm, but are expected (AMMED News 6-9-11). Not having a signing bonus in place is often looked upon, by a candidate, as an extreme negative. How does an employer stand out from the crowd to land a recruit in this highly competitive environment?

In addition to the cash bonus, which averages about $23,000, other incentives include relocation costs, CME expenses, housing allowances, and student loan forgiveness.

Can a facility that has only a few, or no such incentives in place to land a recruit, actually compete with the ones who are stacked with benefits and bonuses to offer? Unequivocally, yes.

Although it is becoming increasingly more difficult in this market, we must keep in mind that not all candidates are motivated by monetary rewards. Work-life balance, community, and meaningful employment opportunities for spouses and family members are examples of other factors that ultimately lead to a successful hire, and retainable physician. If money is the principle motivator, beware! Who is to say that candidates will stay, when deeper pockets start calling on them?

As recruiters we must look at the total package that a facility and community can offer; compensation is only part of the landscape.

Tom Sullivan
Vice President of Recruitment
SpineSearch LLC
tom.sullivan@spine-search.com