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UnityPoint bucking hiring trend

T-R FILE PHOTo Health care systems nationwide are experiencing shortages of qualified providers but UnityPoint in Marshalltown is bucking that trend.

As businesses and industries struggle to hire people to fill empty positions, health care systems are facing the same challenge. But UnityPoint — Marshalltown is bucking the trend.

Hospital Administrator Shari King said there is a national shortage of nurses and providers in every state and has been ongoing since before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“The National Association of Physician Recruiters tracks the percentage of contracts that are signed and returned,” she said. “I know that UnityPoint Health exceeds the national average in that area by approximately 20 percent. That tells us that when providers interview with UnityPoint Health, we’re providing an experience that’s memorable and an opportunity that’s attractive.”

The pandemic has only made the struggle harder, which has been felt by UnityPoint.

“The unfortunate reality is that the pandemic has been rough for people working in health care, and finding skilled and compassionate caregivers is now as daunting as ever,” she said.

However, UnityPoint has some programs, philosophies and attributes in place to attract and retain desirable employees. To address the provider shortage, UnityPoint Health is growing providers through residency programs.

There is a dedicated Physician Recruiting Department at the Marshalltown hospital, and members work on behalf of all communities to attract qualified providers and place them in facilities that match needs, abilities and preferences. King has seen the program provide benefits for searches in Marshalltown. UnityPoint also has a $5,000 physician referral bonus. Any member of the community can refer a qualified family medicine physician. If that doctor is then hired to practice at UnityPoint, the person who did the referral collects the bonus.

“We realize word of mouth really is the best form of advertising, and we know our community has family members, friends and other connections to talented physicians who would love to come work in Marshalltown,” King said. “I think that’s especially true if it’s in our new hospital and clinics opening next year.”

The physician referral bonus was launched in June. While there have been some referrals, it a takes a long time to recruit and onboard physicians. King said it takes several months. Once a physician is hired, any bonuses would be paid as $2,500 after the first 30 days on the job and another $2,500 after six months on the job.

King loves the idea of the community assisting in the search.

“We’re very encouraged about these programs,” she said.

Attracting specialty providers poses a bigger challenge for UnityPoint.

“While Marshalltown isn’t a small town, it’s not an especially large community, either, and we do find that the size of a community can impact where in-demand specialty providers choose to plant roots,” King said.

To help with the lack of specialty care, UnityPoint takes advantage of larger systems nearby. If someone here needs a higher level of care, they are quickly transferred to a larger partner nearby for next-level attention, such as Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.

“So, it’s a built-in benefit that people in Marshalltown can tap into our valuable network of specialties and services,” King said. “We’re continually evaluating ways that we could attract talent to Marshalltown. However, the most important guideline is the commitment we’ve made to this community to stay financially sustainable. Financial margins in the healthcare industry are typically thin, and it’s imperative we stay focused on what we’re here to do – deliver patient care.”

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.

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