Posted by Megan Trippi
Rural communities have a great deal of character, but it can be difficult to find candidates who want to work in those areas. You know the charm and positive attributes of your facility and location, so be sure to highlight and focus on these details when promoting your practice:
- Culture and community are important
Ask your current physicians and advanced practice providers what they like about working at your facility and in a smaller town. Most of the time, you’ll hear the culture is great and everyone gets along well.
A small town and small practice offer a feeling of closeness and community. If you have high morale and a great practice culture with satisfied employees, share that information.
- Patients appreciate their health care workers
There aren’t as many options for health care providers in smaller communities as there are in larger metropolitan areas, so many patients will appreciate the care they receive. The small-town physician will become a trusted provider and someone people will turn to when they need medical advice.
- Specialists in rural areas may be in high demand
Some rural areas will have specialists come into town on rotation to treat those in need of specialized care. Other rural areas are fortunate enough to have specialists serving their community on a regular basis.
Cities may have a great deal of competition for a candidate’s specialty, and those same specialties may be in high demand and give candidates more negotiating power when coming to your facility. Your candidate pool may not be as expansive as that of larger organizations, but you might be able to provide better benefits and compensation to quality candidates in areas of need.
- Rural communities offer a lower cost of living
Big cities come with expensive housing and amenities while small towns offer a lower cost of living with reasonable housing and less expensive activities. Your rural facility might be more attractive to a young physician, especially with a family, as they can get more for their money and their salary will go further.
- There are great outdoor experiences
If you have a candidate who is active and likes to be outdoors, it’s important to promote your area’s outdoor environment and activities. Facilities in the heart of metropolitan areas may not have hiking, fishing and boating close by, so that is something that might set you apart from larger organizations.