By Angela Jorge
If you work in the healthcare industry, it’s essential that you recruit the most qualified doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. There are hundreds of healthcare recruitment agencies out there, but not all agencies are the same. It’s crucial to select the right healthcare staffing agency that understands your core values, your specializations, as well as your other needs and goals.
Here are four questions you should ask before deciding on a healthcare staffing agency:
How long will it take?
Speed is one of the key factors to consider when choosing a healthcare staffing agency. Typically, nursing positions are easier to fill, but it depends on the type of nurse your facility requires. It can be trickier to find doctors who can fill your specialized positions, as the job pool isn’t as wide. Agencies can take weeks to find a qualified applicant who can perform the job that you specified.
Do they specialize?
More general agencies might seem like a better option because they have every employee you might need. On the other hand, a specialized healthcare staffing agency is better suited to recruiting people who can provide the exact specializations that you require. For instance, some consultancies are better at placing pediatricians than others.
A healthcare staffing agency’s strengths in certain areas suggest that they understand these professions and that they know which experiences and skills are required in these fields. They have a better understanding of each area of specialization.
Does price compromise quality?
You might be tempted to go for the cheapest healthcare recruitment agency you can find online, but what does a low price usually tell you? While it’s true that not all expensive agencies produce quality placements, you should carefully evaluate whether you will get your money’s worth by partnering with them. With low rates, you might find yourself with unqualified nurses, management staff, etc.
Do they have a good reputation?
Word-of-mouth is extremely helpful, even in the medical industry. When it comes to choosing the right healthcare staffing agency, you should do some digging into their reputation. Check the Internet for any articles or exposés written about the agency or their owners. Check their social media posts and look at the comments/replies — this should tell you a lot about them. You might want to ask fellow healthcare professionals about stories they might have heard about the agency.
Conclusion
Hiring a healthcare recruitment agency can make your hospital or clinic’s recruitment process less stressful and time-consuming. If your nurses are always experiencing burnout, and if you’re always understaffed, partnering with the right agency can be the long-term solution you need.
