In this times, as the population becomes older, the fast growing demand in the healthcare industry for healthcare providers is increasing and so is the necessity to have a well constructed healthcare system. the quest in finding the best candidates for the job lies now on how well executive firms screen potential candidates such as doctors and nurses. Healthcare providers seek the expertise of these outsourcing firms for collaboration in finding exemplary candidates.

In this new era of current and ever changing healthcare system, the present day medical care system has revolutionized giving way to a more sophisticated and standardized care. Gone are the days that healthcare executives can only function as hospital administrators; nowadays they play a more diverse and specialized roles not limited to management of hospitals but through out the entire healthcare delivery system. This constitutes connecting with government branches, financial management. home health agencies, managed care organizations, long term care facilities and consulting roles.

Nailing the right individual for an executive position can be a demanding task in ensuring effective delivery of healthcare services. Most health providers turn to outsource hiring firms to do the professional work for them. The executive firms in turn initiate the process of recruiting persons to fill in high ranking positions suited to the clients’ needs. Client companies neither have the luxury of time to nor the skill to seriously recruit.

Often the executive required is already highly successful in his or her field and may not actively be seeking a new employment position. The most significant aspect of an executive search firm’s activities is to have a wide network of contacts in the sector in which an executive is being sought so that appropriate individuals can be identified and approached. Often a single phone call to a person in this network results in a job offer or a recommendation for a candidate that is seeking a career change. Quality search firms are effective at cultivating and updating their network of contacts (sometimes referred to as research) so that they can rapidly identify potential candidates for presentation to the client. This saves the healthcare provider considerable time and effort and provides an assurance that they are being presented with the best possible candidates for the role.

When assessing a healthcare executive search firm; providers need to determine how closely the firm matches their needs for the position to be filled. Some search firms, for example, are multinationals with offices across the globe and that cover numerous sectors (among which is the healthcare industry). These types of firms offer the ability to provide a worldwide search and a large team of consultants but sometimes choosing a ’boutique’ firm that specializes in the healthcare industry may be a better option. Such firms, for example, when seeking an executive to fill a financial role will understand the specific financial management requirements of the health industry (for example, dealing with government and managed health care bodies) and are thus better able to find appropriate candidates.

It’s important that the healthcare provider carefully considers what they require from the relationship with a search firm. Search firms can be engaged on a contingency or retained basis. A retained search firm is paid a retainer throughout the search process; typically a third of the fee every thirty days. If an appropriate candidate is not found within this timeframe the firm continues to search until the position is filled. Contingency based firms, on the other hand, are only paid at the end of a successful search process.

Let’s look at the two type of search firms. The first one works on a contingency basis while the other one is in a retain basis. The first one prompts to fill in position automatically so as to get paid right away. This can be unfavorable since it cannot present the best candidate possible. Retain basis on the other hand gets paid whatever the outcome is and so they may be even motivated to produce quality candidates.

Executive search firms are considered by Human Resource professionals as a valuable element in the employment industry that provides specialized candidates for the job. They assist health providers take advantage of the best candidates whose prowess and expertise matches that of the clients’ need. As well as conducting initial checks to candidates which the specific provider requires.

Gus Cawley is healthcare executive recruiter and a former Big 4 CPA and has been placing executives 1998. He has recently started MedPoint Partners, a healthcare executive search firm, specializing in the placement healthcare financial and operational professionals.