5 Reasons to Partner with a Boutique Physician Recruitment Firm

When a healthcare organization is looking to partner with a recruitment firm, their first instinct is often to go with one of the large, big name agencies. Working on the belief that a larger agency means more manpower and a bigger talent pool, these organizations assume that going with a larger firm is the best way to get quick results. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.

In many cases, working instead with a boutique recruitment firm can help healthcare organizations hire higher quality physicians in less time. Below are five reasons why organizations should consider partnering with a boutique physician recruitment firm instead.

1. Personalized Attention

The larger physician recruitment firms  often have each of their recruiters handling openings with dozens of clients. Because of this, it can be difficult for recruiters at larger firms to provide each client with the kind of personalized attention and organizational knowledge that results in more placements of high-quality physicians. With boutique firms, each recruiter works with fewer clients, meaning they know exactly what type of candidate will fit in with your organization’s culture.

2. Thorough Screenings

Some large firms, especially those that operate on a non-exclusive contingency contract, don’t always thoroughly screen and background check candidates before sending them over to prospective clients. This often has to do with the fact that for these firms, it is quantity – not quality – that matters. With boutique physician recruitment firms, each recruiter thoroughly screens each candidate and checks their background before presenting them to the client with a detailed presentation. This can help in-house recruiters be more efficient, as they will be able to tell whether a candidate would be a fit prior to the initial phone interview.

3. Specialization

Due to the high volume of searches at larger physician recruitment firms, it can be difficult for any recruiter to specialize in a certain geography, specialty, or practice type. These recruiters often have to work with a variety of clients across the country, making it harder for them to obtain the kind of specialty knowledge about certain locations or unique practice organizations (such as Independent Practice Associations, or IPA’s). At smaller firms, the recruiters tend to focus on certain organizational models in specific locations, allowing them to draw from a deep bench of candidates they are already familiar with who they know are looking for a particular location and/or practice style.

4. Larger Talent Pool

It may sound counter intuitive, but the larger the physician recruitment firm, the smaller the talent pool. While they may have a larger number of candidates in their database, they will often be unable to present them to new clients. This is because ethically speaking, these firms can’t hire candidates from companies they are hiring for due to conflict of interest. Smaller firms, on the other hand, tend to have a broader talent pool because they hire for a select few organizations.

5. Increased Retention

We all know that retention begins in the recruitment stage. Recruiting a physician candidate that is a better fit means that they are more likely to stay with your organization long term. Boutique firms, who have specialized knowledge of your organization’s culture, needs, and structure, are better able to present candidates who are a better fit, increasing the likelihood that they will stay for the long hall and reducing turnover.

Key Take Aways:

• Boutique recruitment firms are able to focus on certain locations, clients, and specialties that allow them to better vet candidates prior to sending them over to your organization.
• Due to the select client list of boutique firms, they are able to pull from a larger pool of candidates as they are less likely to be employed by one of their other clients, meaning the firm will be less likely to face any conflicts of interest when presenting candidates.
• Fewer clients per recruiter means more time and energy goes into making sure that their client’s needs are met and all candidates are thoroughly screened prior to being sent down to the client.