Things to Do When Your Hospital Doesn’t Have Enough Doctors

Maintaining enough staff is one of the biggest challenges when running a hospital. It got even compounded because of the pandemic. There are times when you don’t have enough doctors to attend to the number of patients getting rushed to the hospital for viral infections. The lack of attending physicians will decrease the quality of healthcare provided to the patients. Therefore, you must find a way to fill the gap. These tips can help.

Hire more doctors

Even if the number of cases seems to be declining in some places, we can’t be complacent. Anything can happen. It’s better to hire more doctors in case there will be a surge again. It’s more challenging to address the problem once it’s already there. You better prepare for the worst outcomes and have the right people to do the job. You will also have more time to interview candidates and choose the best physicians for the job.

Hire temporary doctors

It’s common for hospitals to hire locum tenens or temporary doctors to fill out the gap. These physicians have full-time jobs elsewhere, but they can take the job temporarily and earn more. It became even more popular during this pandemic since hospitals couldn’t cater to all the patients. You can work with locum tenens companies if you need doctors. They know whom to call, and some even have a pool of candidates to choose from. They will also screen the choices on your behalf. Give the company a call when you are understaffed, and the doctor will be there as scheduled.

Offer a higher pay

This crisis proved how important healthcare workers are. They’re on the front lines as we fight this deadly disease. The amount we pay them isn’t even enough for all the sacrifices made for us. Hence, a significant salary bump to attract more people to do the job is justifiable. It also helps you attract more physicians to come and work for the hospital. Since more healthcare establishments are fighting over a limited supply, the high pay can be your selling point. You can’t afford to be behind the game.

Improve the hospital’s reputation

Perhaps, the reason why you can’t attract physicians is that the hospital doesn’t have an excellent reputation. You don’t have the best medical facilities. You also don’t offer a good work environment. Change these things if you want more physicians to come and work with you. Apart from financial reasons, they also decide to work at a hospital based on work environment and reputation. When you eventually improve the hospital’s brand, it’s easier for doctors to trust your company.

Hopefully, you can address the gap and find the best physicians to work with in the hospital. Learn from your mistakes, and don’t wait for another pandemic to address the problem. Anything can happen even if we survive this crisis. Who knows? There will be another pandemic. But, by then, your hospital is ready for the surge.