Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1117375
27 Thought Leadership How ASCs can compete with hospitals for top talent — 4 expert insights By Angie Stewart A SCs should be proactive and sell their strengths to attract the best candidates, accord- ing to Liz Bickley, senior vice presi- dent of healthcare client services for Cielo, a recruitment process outsourcing company. Ms. Bickley discussed effective ASC recruitment strategies with Becker's ASC Review. Note: Responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity. Question: What are the best talent acquisition strategies for ASCs? Liz Bickley: ASCs need to have a multipronged talent acquisition strategy with a dedicated resource team that proactively reaches out to candidates in the market, stays ahead of talent acquisitions and understands market supply versus demand. ASCs should also proactively highlight their center and get messaging out on their successes or the dif- ferent things they are doing to attract talent to their centers. Lastly, investing in technology that gives ASCs the ability to reach clinical staff in real time, such as text messaging or automated screening technology (recorded voice inter- views or recorded video interviews) allows candidates to complete a screening on their own time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is a great way to reach candidates outside of business hours and to interview and discuss new opportunities that will help an ASC stand apart. Q: How can surgery centers compete for talent with hospitals? LB: Hospitals can offer more comprehensive benefits. However, when working at an ASC, there are no nights, no weekends, no holidays and no on-call. It's important to make it very attractive to individuals with a family or those that prefer greater work/life balance, such as guaranteed set hours. Additionally, ASC leaders should treat their staff as a small family and offer flexibility when unexpected fam- ily matters arise. One way they can do this is by [offering] team lunches, coffee and celebrations within the center to make their time at work enjoyable. Q: Why is talent acquisition an essential consideration for surgery centers? LB: Finding skilled talent ready to make a move at the time of your opening requires strategy, resources and technol- ogy in this tight labor market. Assessing candidates for the right fit for your center is critical [for] higher retention. Q: How can surgery centers ensure their recruitment teams thrive in the midst of so many mergers and acqui- sitions? LB: Two ways surgery centers can ensure this is by keeping their recruitment teams abreast of the M&As happening within the market and allowing funding to host job fairs for those individuals being displaced, directly targeting and marketing to the affected organizations. The recruitment teams should also be prepared for same-day offers by working with the center's leadership to host interviews. n What a Michigan ASC does to stay competitive & recruit physicians — 3 Qs with Executive Director Tina Piotrowski By Angie Stewart G rand Rapids, Mich.-based Metro Health OAM Surgery Center Execu- tive Director Tina Piotrowski, RN, told Becker's ASC Review about her center's market dynamic, competitive strategy and approach to physician recruitment. Note: Responses have been lightly edited for style. Question: The healthcare industry has seen a high volume of mergers and acquisitions in the past couple years. Have you seen any consolidation in your market? Tina Piotrowski: We have not experienced a significant degree of consolidation in our market as it relates to ASCs. ere has been some activity amongst surrounding healthcare systems. Q: What is your ASC doing to stay competitive? TP: We will continue to deliver the highest quality outpatient orthope- dic care that we are known for. We introduced outpatient total hip and knee replacements as well as minimally invasive spine surgery in 2017, and this has continued to grow. Q: What is your approach to physician and staff recruit- ment? In other words, what benefits and advantages do you offer to make physicians/staff choose your ASC over other facilities? TP: We have a great team of well-trained staff that take excellent care of our patients and their families. High patient satisfaction impacts physician happiness, as they can focus on the surgical experience and not have other issues to deal with. We are also unique in that our ASC offers an education assistance program for our employees, and the leadership team promotes professional development at all levels. n