With physicians in high demand nationally – a trend expected to continue through the next decade – Mid-South hospitals and clinics are facing a number of local and national challenges as they recruit quality physicians to their systems.

For example, Bill Breen, senior vice president of physician alignment at Methodist Healthcare, says geography can be a big deterrent when recruiting a physician not familiar with the Memphis area.

“Many times when you talk to a potential candidate who has no ties to the area, you have a geographical challenge to overcome,” he said. “For instance, a physician from New England or the Pacific Northwest may have some preconceived notions about Memphis and a lack of knowledge. They have never been here.”

To overcome this challenge, physicians groups will bring in the physician to tour Memphis. According to Breen, a candidate may have to make several site visits during the recruiting process to find out if Memphis is a professional and cultural fit.

“It makes a big difference after a person comes here and visits the city,” said Matthew Harris, director of physician recruitment at Methodist Healthcare. “Memphis is a big and vibrant community, which draws candidates once they have visited here.”

According to Harris, physicians discover that the work commute is easier than in many other cities. Also, the cost of living in Memphis is a big advantage to consider when choosing a location.

Memphis’ cost of living is more than 11 percent lower than the national average, according to the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association.

Maggie Schmitt, manager of physician recruitment and retention at Baptist Medical Group, says many physicians are impressed with the Memphis lifestyle.

“Memphis is a small town with the amenities of a larger city,” she said. “The weather is mild and there are many cultural and social amenities such as good food and music. Physicians and their families discover that there is something for everyone here.”

In addition to showcasing geographical and cultural advantages, physicians groups want to ensure that the doctor knows the professional advantages as well, especially when the group may not be as well known nationally.

“It can be a unique challenge for us to recruit because Regional One Health is new and isn’t as prestigious as other groups,” said Randy Sites, executive director of UT Regional

One Physicians. “We are unique because we have an academic affiliation and are an emerging health system, but it can be a challenge to recruit new doctors to Memphis.”

UT Regional One Physicians was established in October 2014. The group partners with Regional One Health and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. There are 180 multi-specialty physicians and advanced practitioners on staff, including trauma surgeons, reproductive endocrinologists, urogynecologists and infectious disease specialists. The group has recruited and is in the process of onboarding 20 physicians to Memphis since the group’s inception nine months ago.

“To overcome some unique challenges, we engage national recruitment firms to source candidates,” Sites said. “Representatives from these firms visit Memphis, UT and Regional One Health. They see first-hand how enthusiastic and dedicated our physicians are. By visiting our system and the city, the recruiters know how to find both the cultural and clinical fit we are looking for.”

Additionally, there can be challenges in recruiting professional spouses to the area, according to Harris.

“A challenge you may not usually consider is dealing with spouses who are in the medical field and both must find work here,” he said. “One spouse’s specialty field may not be as in demand as the other’s, and securing them a position can take additional time.”

Even though there are some geographic and professional challenges to overcome, Harris and Schmitt agree that it is easier to recruit a physician who is familiar with the area.

“Many times when I talk to a physician interested in a position, he or she has ties to Memphis,” Schmitt said. “They were born, licensed or trained here or their spouse is from Memphis.”

In addition to local challenges, there is a national shortage of doctors in some specialties, which can hamper recruiting efforts in the Mid-South. A study published three years ago in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that out of 17,000 third-year residents, only 21 percent were planning a career in internal medicine.

Also, succession planning is an important part of the recruitment process for all physicians groups. Groups and clinics rely heavily on recommendations and referrals from their internal physicians.

“Ideally, we want to know ahead of time when a doctor is retiring,” Breen said. “It’s a big deal when a doctor retires, so we want to allow enough time for the new doctor to come in and become familiar with the practice and get to know the patient base. Good dialogue with our doctors is importan, so they can be involved in the process of choosing the new physician.”

This is especially the case with specialists such as cardiologists.

“What we have found is most successful in recruiting is when other Stern physicians refer doctors who they have worked with, trained with or went to school with,” said Sharon Goldstein, director of communications and public relations at Stern Cardiovascular Foundation. “Many times it is doctors who have mentored other doctors as interns and remembered them.”

This can bring a good, diverse mix to a physicians group, according to Schmitt.

“Doctors just out of fellowship can bring a different perspective to a group because they are familiar with new technology,” Schmitt said. “We want a well-rounded group to take care of patients because at the end of the day, we want the best care for our patients. Our goal is to have the right care, at the right time, at the right place and at the right cost.” 

RELATED LINKS:

Methodist Healthcare, www.methodisthealth.org

Baptist Medical Group, www.baptistdoctors.org

UT Regional One Physicians, www.regionalonehealth.org/utrop

University of Tennessee Health Science Center, www.uthsc.edu

Stern Cardiovascular Foundation, www.sterncardio.com