Guilherme Macagnan is CEO of AMX Healthcare, a rapidly expanding national allied health and travel nurse workforce solutions provider.
An effective healthcare workforce strategy used to be based on experience, gut instinct and checking references, but technology has changed all that—or has at least made it easier, more convenient and more data-driven.
That’s not to say that humans are no longer integral to recruiting, hiring and staff management processes, all of which are key to maintaining confidence and trust in a company’s reputation and credibility. But technology is being leveraged in many ways to complement the traditional recruitment and hiring process, and it’s fair to say that modern, innovative healthcare providers attract top candidates.
With that in mind, here are some ways you can utilize technology to recruit and retain healthcare professionals more effectively.
1. Video Interviewing Software
The use of video interviewing software is gaining popularity in healthcare recruiting, allowing recruiters to conduct one-way video Q&A and evaluations and maintain a more flexible interview schedule to speed up the recruitment process. This type of interviewing is beneficial for candidates who can only provide responses when it is convenient, without taking time from their current job or other responsibilities.
On the recruiter side, recorded video interviews make it easier to share candidate videos and collaborate on evaluations. From my background in creating streamlined processes for hiring travel nurses, I appreciate the efficiencies, time savings and unique data points video interview software has added to the equation. While this replaces a live interaction, hiring managers can rewatch the candidate videos and easily share them with other stakeholders. The main disadvantage to watch for is the inability to react or ask a follow-up question in real time.
2. Social Media
Social media can be used by healthcare providers to network with potential candidates and build overall awareness for the brand. Content posted on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram about job openings, benefits and workplace culture can go a long way to reach a wider pool of candidates.
One of the most effective ways for healthcare recruiters to use these platforms is to understand the purpose and primary audience for each platform and learn how to leverage them. Whether it’s the professional thought leadership found on LinkedIn or the more visual storytelling of Instagram, social media can augment recruiting efforts by providing not only a place to share job requirements but also more insight into candidates’ knowledge and values. This is why social media—and the information shared there by potential candidates—can be an important part of the recruitment strategy.
3. Online Job Portals
Online job portals in healthcare recruiting have largely eliminated the need for physical job applications, saving candidates time and resources. Portals can greatly improve a candidate’s experience by making it easier to search for job openings and submit applications online and receive updates on the status of their application in real time. This increased transparency can give candidates a better understanding of where they stand in the recruitment process and help healthcare organizations attract top talent and fill positions faster.
The downside is that candidates often doubt if a human being will ever see their credentials, fearing applications end up in a black hole. Job portals are most effective if used to accept applications and resumes and communicate with candidates without serving as a barrier to meaningful candidate interaction.
4. Software And AI
Software and artificial intelligence (AI) can automate many parts of the recruitment process, including candidate screening, resume analysis and job matching. AI-powered recruitment tools use algorithms and predictive analytics to analyze candidate data, such as education, experience and skills, ultimately providing recruiters with a shortlist of the most qualified candidates. These tools can also help to eliminate human bias in the hiring process by focusing on qualifications and skills rather than demographic information.
Once hired, clinicians can benefit from AI software that automates routine and repetitive tasks, freeing them up to focus on more complex and specialized tasks that require their expertise. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can handle most routine inquiries from patients, such as scheduling appointments and answering frequently asked questions. This can both save time for healthcare professionals and improve patient satisfaction by providing immediate responses to patient inquiries. You can also leverage AI to improve clinical decision-making by analyzing large amounts of patient data and providing insights into potential diagnoses and treatment options.
Software solutions can also be used to streamline administrative tasks, such as managing patient records, billing and inventory management, and to provide real-time insights into staffing needs, patient flow and resource allocation. This can help clinicians make informed decisions to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
5. Specialized Healthcare Recruitment Agencies
Specialized healthcare recruitment agencies manage all aspects of the hiring process, from vetting candidates and verifying credentials to hiring, onboarding, scheduling and troubleshooting. (Full disclosure: My company offers this service, as do others.) This is accomplished by using technology combined with a personalized experience to minimize risk and ensure satisfaction in the hiring process.
Something I’ve learned from my own experiences is the importance of an agency partnering with both healthcare providers and the nursing professionals they place; this helps ensure an appreciation for the fluidity of needs and solutions on both sides. Providers considering a specialized agency should expect it to provide an easy, end-to-end solution, and nurses seeking short- and long-term assignments should expect a streamlined personal experience in finding the right job fit.
When cutting-edge technology is combined with human effort, healthcare organizations can improve their talent acquisition, creating more opportunities for profound analysis, greater automation and faster recruitment processes. As the healthcare industry continues to grow, technology and data will become increasingly necessary tools for organizations hoping to attract and retain talent with an eye on providing exceptional patient care and outcomes. By exploring innovative ways to integrate technology into current healthcare recruiting methods (and beyond), the talent acquisition process can be modernized, and candidates can be engaged in novel ways.
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