The health care industry is in need of talented people to fill many positions, which means that human resource departments are spending a lot of time scanning through applications, interviewing candidates and filing payroll information–all at once. When the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate officially begins in 2014, it is possible that another round of hiring sprees may begin.
Medical centers, hospitals and independent practices can mitigate these stresses through the use of HR software solutions. Primary care providers specifically, are in higher demand than ever. The American Medical Association estimates that if the pool of medical school graduates does not change, the nationwide shortage is going stay around 45,000–hitting historic highs of 130,000 by 2025.
In some parts of the United States, attracting doctors to work in specific regions may be difficult. Instead of relying on incoming applications, hiring managers can grab information from online profiles, choose specific keywords and run it through the HR software. This method allows hiring managers to make the most out of the available market and applicant pool.
Why there is a nationwide doctor shortage
Since the deficit has become a larger issue for practices, at least 17 medical schools have opened in the U.S., all of them paying extra attention to primary care, the Wall Street Journal reported. Though this may be a step in the right direction, out of 20,000 medical school graduates, only 20 percent of total grads have a background in this competitive and demanding market.
Part of this has to do with the perception medical students may have of primary care, that it is a paper-pushing specialty that serves as “gatekeepers to the world of specialists,” Journal contributor Barbara Sadick explained.
A growing population of physician assistants and nurse practitioners are meant to close this gap, but with a growing older population, recruiters are going to have to provide a competitive salary and benefit package for doctors who are eligible to be primary care providers.