There comes a point in everyone’s practice when it is time to share the load. A time when you are maxed out on patient care days and then your off days are filled with managing the manager and you need a break. But a break means no income and you have employees that you are paying when you are not in the office seeing patients.
You want a vacation, and although you can afford to go on one, your clinic cannot afford it as you have staff to pay who work full time, rent to pay, electricity, etc.
Finding the right person to share your practice with takes patience. If you have an established practice, you may find that many doctors reach out to you in hopes that you will want to hire them. Don’t be too desperate and hire too quickly.
It takes about 6 months to really start to see if you and another provider will gel or not. So, how do you have a 6 month grace period before solidifying the employment? You don’t. Your interviewing has to be excellent and you need to do your homework up front.
In healthcare, when you bring in a doctor and entrust your patient base to them it becomes a big deal when they leave, not only legally, but also for your clinic image. In addition, it does not look good on you and your clinic if a doctor comes and then goes too quickly. Although every state has a different law, typically, a 90 day notice is required by the doctor to the patients.
So, if you go slowly and deliberately with your interviewing and hiring process you can prevent these issues and have the greatest success.
What to Look for in a Provider
- Values in patient care
- Alignment with your mission statement
- Alignment of how you approach patients
- Short term and long term goals professionally and as a clinic?
- Personal interests outside of work (would you go hang out with this doc?)
- If this doctor could have their dream situation, what would it look like
- Background check. Yes, call their academic program to find out if there were any issues in their residency? Call their professional references and ask, what were your concerns?
- If they disclose that they had conflict in their past work environments, have them share the details.
- Work/life balance? How do they take care of themselves/family?
- What are their main stressors in their life?
- Pay – never easy to discuss, but find out what their needs are and expectations
- Clients, what type of clients do they want to see? What type of modalities would they like to do?
- Can they work for others and ask for examples of how this was in their past
- How are they with critique or guidance/constructive criticism and examples of this in their past
- Do you feel comfortable communicating difficult topics such as pay, goals and policies?
- Do they have the skill set you need for them to cover your patient base when needed and vice versa?
Ultimately, you will be their boss initially until they become, and if they become, an equal partner. It is important to have them shadow for the better part of a week if possible. This allows them to feel what it is like in the clinic and to help you both see what it feels like to be there together. Not to mention if they connect with your patient base and staff.
Initially the doctor you hire may have an impressive resume and a ton of experience. Perhaps their experience also includes unique experiences that speak to the depth of this doctors values, such as working in under served areas or volunteering services. One thing to watch out for is how many abbreviations and certifications one has after their name. Make sure you are familiar with them for starters. But this alert you to the fact that they may have felt the need to boost themselves up by obtaining so many certifications. Make sure there is depth and experience relative to these initials. Maybe even ask for references pertaining to each of these areas of discipline just to be sure they are all relevant and that there is experience behind them. Another red flag that could be overlooked is especially for a newer doctor, is their longevity in prior work experiences, maybe even before becoming a doctor. And lastly, examine if they have experiences where they had to work closely with or under a supervisor and look at the duration of those positions. Perhaps inquire about references of those superiors.
Once you decide to move forward with employment, that is the time to have a contract drafted by your attorney for the prospective partner. Allow them a couple of days to evaluate this and set up a time to meet to discuss any concerns they may have. This is often the time when the rubber meets the road for most partnerships. Notice how this process goes. If the doctor is in disagreement or seems to have issues with parts of the contract, discuss it. Ask yourself, ‘are these areas of importance or deal breakers for me’. Take this part of the process with patience and give yourself time to think about it.
You have spent money and time building your practice. You have spent money having an attorney draft up your contract with terms and conditions that you believe in. Negotiations on pay timelines and details are one thing, but the actual policies and procedures are another. Once this meeting has occurred, give yourself a day to think about it. Set up the final meeting time for in-person signatures for at least one day from that contract meeting. This allows you and the other doctor to have time to check in with themselves and ensure there are good intentions and agreements.
Hiring another doctor is never easy. It requires a personality fit and a practice style, and to ensure that your values are aligned. You will be spending a lot of your time with this person, communicating and negotiating, sharing and working together. The ability to communicate with your heart at peace is of huge importance. Be aware of this. Take time to check references. Perhaps hang out with the person outside of work, go do something together. Invite them into the practice for several days to see how it feels to have them in your space. If you take the time to hire wisely, you are sure to find the perfect partner.
