National Study Identifies Opportunities to Better Align Expectations and Experiences When it Comes to Onboarding
ATLANTA, July 15, 2024 - Amid physician and advanced practice provider shortages that inhibit access to patient care, holistic onboarding programs benefit providers and healthcare organizations alike. That’s according to a new Physician and Clinician Onboarding Research Report commissioned by the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) with Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com, both national leaders in matching clinicians with healthcare organizations.
The research, conducted in the first quarter of 2024, polled both permanent and locum tenens physicians and advanced practice providers, as well as in-house physician recruiters, to better understand how the experience of onboarding impacts providers in their current roles.
A formal onboarding process is a significant factor in determining satisfaction levels among medical professionals, the report found. Seventy-three percent of physicians and clinicians who reported satisfaction with their onboarding had undergone a formal process, compared to only 34% of those who were dissatisfied. Similarly, recruitment professionals also expressed higher satisfaction with the onboarding process when it is formalized.
Additional highlights from the new Physician and Clinician Onboarding Research Report include:
- While 72% of organizations report having a formal onboarding process, just over half (57%) of providers report having received formal, structured onboarding at their current job, putting them at risk for lower engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
- Forty percent of organizations responding to the survey report that their onboarding process lasted three months to one year; 40% said it ends within the first month.
- Permanent and locum tenens clinicians generally receive similar onboarding experiences. However, contractors report higher satisfaction with the process, with 73% rating their onboarding as very good or excellent, compared to 61% of permanent clinicians.
- Two-thirds of organizations use clinician surveys to gauge onboarding success, more commonly in larger organizations. About half also consider retention rates as a measure of success.
“Our research reveals a crucial need for healthcare organizations to prioritize robust onboarding programs, ideally with dedicated staff to ensure a consistent and positive experience for new providers,” said Carey Goryl, CEO of AAPPR. “By investing in comprehensive onboarding that goes beyond logistics, we can foster stronger relationships, improve provider engagement and morale, and ultimately, increase the likelihood of long-term retention, benefiting both the organization and the patients they serve.”
Locum Tenens Hires Value Formal Onboarding
A formal onboarding process appears to be a key differentiator in satisfaction levels for locum tenens hires. In the study, locum tenens clinicians reported higher satisfaction with the process, with 73% rating their onboarding as very good or excellent, compared to 61% of permanent clinicians.
“Effective onboarding is not just about getting clinicians up to speed, but about ensuring they are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to deliver high-quality patient care from day one,” noted Chris Franklin, president of LocumTenens.com. “Seamlessly integrating clinicians on temporary assignments into their new roles so that they can start seeing patients as soon as possible not only benefits the clinicians and organization but ultimately leads to better patient outcomes.”
Permanent Hires Prefer a Structured Approach to Onboarding
Permanent clinicians reported a preference for more information on relocation and local community details, as well as comprehensive tours, understanding organizational missions, peer mentorships, and regular supervisor check-ins. Additionally, they prioritized the need for social interactions and dedicated time for familiarizing with facility processes.
“Candidates gravitate to organizations that make the effort to build a relationship from the first meeting and that continue to cultivate that relationship through the first 12 months of service. We know that onboarding done right improves retention long term and that poor onboarding can lead to an expensive scramble to reopen an organization’s recruiting process,” shared Tony Stajduhar, president of Jackson Physician Search.
For further insights, the Physician and Clinician Onboarding Research Report is available for download here.
About AAPPR
The Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) is a nationally recognized leader in healthcare provider recruitment, onboarding, and retention. For more than 30 years, AAPPR has empowered physician and advanced practice provider recruitment leaders to transform care delivery in their communities by providing best-in-class practices, up-to-date industry knowledge, and evolving innovative approaches for hiring, onboarding, and retaining exceptional clinical talent. To learn more or to become an organizational member of AAPPR, please visit https://aappr.org/join-now.
About Jackson Physician Search
Jackson Physician Search is an established industry leader in physician recruitment and pioneered the recruitment methodologies standard in the industry today. The firm specializes in the permanent recruitment of physicians, physician executives and advanced practice providers for hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers and medical groups across the United States. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., the company is recognized for its track record of results built on client trust and transparency of processes and fees. Jackson Physician Search is part of the Jackson Healthcare® family of companies. For more information, visit www.jacksonphysiciansearch.com.
About LocumTenens.com
LocumTenens.com specializes in optimizing healthcare staffing strategies with flexible, hybrid and temporary placement of physicians, advanced practice providers, and psychologists through both onsite and telehealth services. As operators of the locum tenens industry’s most-visited job board, LocumTenens.com connects healthcare organizations with medical professionals to ensure patients have access to quality care. Founded in 1995, LocumTenens.com is a leader in the healthcare staffing industry and an employer of choice, placing clinicians who deliver care to more than seven million patients in over 4,000 healthcare facilities in the U.S. Headquartered in Atlanta, LocumTenens.com is a Jackson Healthcare® company. Learn more at www.LocumTenens.com.
For More Information, Contact:
Alexis Schuchert for AAPPR
aschuchert@franco.com
Kristen Myers for Jackson Physician Search
kmyers@jacksonphysiciansearch.com
Kelly Street for LocumTenens.com
kelly.street@locumtenens.com