Our group is in active interviewing mode. I'm sure we aren't alone (right?) in seeking candidates to feed the need for hospitalists. We now have a process (kind of) of how we interview candidates.
First encounter-I usually hear from the candidate who was told to call me.
Second encounter-meet with two of the officers in our group (usually the Pres and Treas).
Third encounter-Informal dinner with the candidate and as many of the physicians as possible (this was last night) and I usually attend this.
Fourth encounter-come to a business meeting to meet with the whole group.
Fifth encounter-the group votes at the next business meeting and talks about whether he/she would be a good fit. Does he mountain bike? Like extreme sports? Enjoy red recliners? How many shots of espresso can you handle after 2am?
There are multiple other conversations and caucus sessions that will take place and after the epidural is administered-we have a new physician to add to the mix. I wanted to blog on this topic because every colleague I know of is looking to hire physicians. The process of hiring a new physcian is intriguing to me in knowing what kind of processes you are procuring out there. Do you put a lot of effort into this? How do you view adding a new physician? Do you consider how the candidate fits into your culture or is it more important to have that warm body? You can be honest about this-because there are many situations where a warm body is needed. If your group takes the latter tactic, has it backfired? Do we sacrifice a good fit to satisfy the census needs?
I forgot to include the 6th Encounter: Credentialing.