Building an itinerary is an essential part of preparation as part of your site visit checklist. It will provide you a successful interview plan that even a mildly interested candidate can get excited about. I believe both in traditions and making sure you are current, and this is a plan that works by mixing the old and the new.

Use this as your meeting agenda template. Make sure to have sections for Travel, Meal, Who’s Who, and finally the traditional or time-frame itinerary. Try to keep all this on a two-page document and, when possible, fit on one page.

Site Visit Itinerary Checklist

Travel Itinerary

• Main means of transportation (airline reservations)
• If no airlines reservations, then information about IRS/facility reimbursement for mileage and how to be reimbursed
• Rental car reservations at the airport (Make sure to note that a credit card must be in the candidate’s name along with their driver’s license to obtain a rental car. Include instructions on how to be reimbursed.)
• Hotel reservations (Make sure you get the right kind of hotel room for your candidate. If the physician is traveling solo, then any room type should be OK. Think about the best fit based on the physician’s traveling needs. Be clear upfront about what you will reimburse at the hotel. Do you pay for snacks, drinks, room service, long-distance calls, movies?)

 

Meal Itinerary Checklist

If you provide a meal itinerary, a candidate will always know or know when food will be around and can plan for snacks. Before setting an itinerary, always ask if there are any dietary needs.

 

Meal Itinerary Example

• When you arrive at the airport, gather your luggage, if you have any, and get your rental car. Attached is a list of places you may want to get a meal before arriving at the hotel. 
• In the morning, Dr. Jones will meet you at the hotel lobby at 7:30 a.m., and we will have a breakfast reception at the hospital and then go over the meeting agenda.
• For lunch on Thursday, the 11th, we have a catered lunch with some of the medical staff at the hospital.
• For dinner on the 11th, we meet at Dinner on the Vine at 7:30 p.m.
• For breakfast on Friday, the 12th, Mr. CEO will pick you up at the hotel lobby at 8:00 a.m. and take you to the French Banquette.

 

 

The Who’s Who Checklist

Make a list of who the candidate is meeting with and a small biography. The candidate should do their own research, but in a site visit, they do not have a lot of time. This is an excellent way for them to get some background on the people with whom they are meeting.

 

Example:

• John Doe, CEO - John has been with ABC hospital for five years and started as the COO.
• Jane Rister M.D., Chief Medical Officer - Dr. Rister has been the CMO for 10 years and is a Family Medicine Physician.
• Jordan Thomas RN, Chief Nursing Officer - Jordan is the Chief of Nursing, and he has been with the hospital for one year. He came here from Hospital Y.

 

The Big Show (the actual itinerary)

Then, of course, include the actual schedule of meetings. This agenda, combined with travel, meal and participant background details, helps provide a complete picture to your interviewing candidate.

 

Example:

• August 10 - 4:00 p.m. - Flight arrives
• August 11 - 7:30 a.m. - Breakfast at the hospital

                                         8:30 a.m. - Tour of the hospital

                                         9:15 a.m. - Tour of the medical clinics

                                         9:45 a.m. Meeting with the CMO

                                         10:15 a.m. - Meeting with the CNO

                                         10:30 a.m. - Tour of the new construction

                                         11:15 a.m. – Meeting with the Realtor/community tour

 

Then continue to fill in your itinerary from here.