Home » Blog » 10 Questions to Expect From Your Staffing Company

10 Questions to Expect From Your Staffing Company

All Star Healthcare Solutions, a full-service agency, is committed to satisfying your facility’s staffing needs. Our Locums Division aids administrators and managers in matching high-caliber physicians and advanced practice providers to your temporary needs. Our Direct-Hire Division complements in-house recruiters’ efforts to identify and pre-qualify candidates for permanent jobs. What’s more, our divisions collaborate to cover multiple staffing fronts so your patients benefit from continuity of care.

To be as effective and efficient as possible, our consultants will ask a series of questions to solicit the pertinent information necessary to deliver our signature “Red Carpet” Service. The following are 10 key examples along with explanations of how our consultative approach will deliver the best results for your facility’s unique needs.

1. Why do you have a staffing gap?
The answer to this question could be multifaceted. During the lead up to summer or the holidays, the number of vacation requests grows exponentially, triggering the need for locum tenens providers. Simultaneously, patient census could climb. Perhaps you receive notices of retirement or resignations, which affect the availability of personnel to cover caseloads while you search for new staff clinicians. Having a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances driving the call for additional providers will assist our recruiters in explaining the opportunity to both our locum tenens professionals and those looking for a new permanent home.

2. Have you contracted with staffing agencies before?
For facilities new to partnering with a staffing agency, our recruiters will walk you through the process whether for locum tenens or direct hire. For hospitals, clinics, group practices, and other healthcare organizations accustomed to contracting with locum tenens companies, we will query you on each new opportunity to ensure your facility and our providers will be operating off a shared set of criteria.

3. What are your mandatory clinical qualifications?
To produce quality matches, we will ask about essential clinical skills. Specify if you require board certification or a minimum number of years of experience (are you open to accepting a doctor recently out of residency?). Add any other relevant criteria. The more information you supply, the more our consultants are prepared to present well-matched candidates.

4. What types of patient populations and caseloads should providers expect?
This question segues off the previous question. Create a portrait of an average shift with as many details as possible, such as acuity level, typical menu of procedures conducted in this role, and any unique elements. Our consultants specialize according to medical specialties so they’re familiar with typical practice vernacular. This background information helps support effective communication between facility and recruiter, as well as recruiter and provider.

5. What type of electronic medical records (EMR) software do you use?
Additionally, will you make a tutorial or support information available to locum tenens providers prior to the assignment start date?

6. What is covered in orientation for locum tenens providers?
To expedite the onboarding process of physicians and advanced practice providers in temporary contracts, it’s important to give as much operational information during orientation as possible. Even better, explain the process to your consultant so they can brief the provider prior to arrival. Putting this together beforehand can help kickstart clinicians’ acclimation to your facility.

7. What are the contract logistics?
This question covers the basics: assignment start and end dates, shift times, and call duty requirements. Discuss with your consultant any other particulars that pertain to providers’ daily expectations. When looking for direct-hire candidates, logistics explain details such as the recruiting timeline, number of interviews expected, and any other points of interest.

8. What type of support staff will be available?
In addition to specialty consults, will locum tenens physicians be working with nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), and/or certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)?

9. What makes your facility unique?
Physicians and advanced practice providers will be adopting your setting as their new workplace, and therefore, will want to know what type of environment they will be entering. Do you have state-of-the-art technology? Does your organization offer staff well-being initiatives? Have you instituted programs that include patients’ social determinants in treatment plans? Tell us what is special about your facility.

10. What makes your community welcoming?
Of course, providers are not on duty 24/7, so they will appreciate knowing a bit about your city or town. Offering a brief overview of sights and activities to your recruiter allows them to paint a picture when presenting your job to potential candidates.

With each staffing need, open and full communication with your All Star consultant will lead to high-quality provider matches, which means high-caliber care for your patients and community.

Call All Star Healthcare Solutions today at 800-928-0229, or contact us online.