How to hire physician assistants for long-term success
With the growing shortage of physicians, the role of physician assistants (PAs) has become increasingly vital to fill patient care gaps. This blog will also address key aspects of how to hire physician assistants and articulate the PA’s role in healthcare and its effect on healthcare organizations from the perspective of patient care. Healthcare providers are looking to hire top physician assistants suitable for employment on either a contract basis or full-time.
By understanding the multifaceted contributions of PAs, facilities can better navigate the complexities of healthcare staffing and enhance their operational efficiency while improving patient outcomes. The blog concludes with how MedSquirrels, a physician assistant recruitment partner, can assist your facility in hiring the best physician assistants quickly and cost-efficiently.
The impact of physician assistants on patient satisfaction and care quality
Physician assistants play a vital role in delivering patient care and ensuring patient satisfaction. According to a study presented to the National Library of Medicine, the presence of a Physician Assistant in a clinic can raise the level of patient satisfaction remarkably, and even if other factors are involved, most patients will prefer to get referred to a PA. This is because the PAs are trained in the holistic treatment model, which enables them to take their patients’ medical histories, conduct physical examinations, diagnose the underlying causes of diseases, and develop effective treatment plans.
Since physician assistants have more time to spend with patients, they can establish a successful therapeutic alliance, which aids a lot in patients’ trust and communication with them. The study conducted by the National Library of Medicine also found that almost 98% of the respondents expressed their satisfaction with PAs in the fulfillment of their medical needs and would be able to refer them as primary care providers.
Based on this analysis, we can say that the option to hire a physician assistant through expert physician assistant recruiters will be the best practice to ensure the highest quality of care and patient satisfaction.
The infographic below clearly explains how the willingness to see a PA for medical needs has changed over time.
Willingness to see a PA for medical needs: 2018 vs. 2022
Moreover, to enhance the quality of care, PA efficiency aims to eliminate excessive processes and waiting periods. This way, the collaborative care model with other healthcare providers guarantees that patients are well taken care of without unnecessary delays, which is important in the current dispensation of healthcare. If PAs, as healthcare providers, are included in the practice, they help achieve better patient results at lower costs.
Traits of top-performing physician assistants: what to look for in hiring
When you hire physician assistants through a physician assistant recruiting platform, certain traits indicate whether or not the candidate has the potential to be a beneficial member of your healthcare team. Strong leadership instincts and sound clinical judgment often distinguish high-performing candidates from average ones.
Look for individuals who demonstrate accountability and a proactive approach to managing patient care. An adaptable mindset and openness to feedback also contribute significantly to long-term success in a healthcare setting.
Here are key characteristics to consider:
- Communication skills: The PA’s efficiency in communicating is important for developing relationships with patients and ensuring they follow treatment recommendations.
- Empathy: This quality allows PAs to comprehend and feel for patients, thereby increasing positive sentiments.
- Clinical competence: When you hire physician assistants, look for expertise in clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcome assessment.
- Teamwork: You must see that they can cooperate and work alongside other healthcare providers as part of a unified and diverse team.
- Flexibility: In healthcare, it is important to be able to take into account the changes in the situation and the needs of the patients.
In this way, facilities can screen candidates during the physician assistant hiring process who are well qualified for the position on offer and, more importantly, specifically oriented toward patient care.
How to attract top physician assistant talent to your facility
Hiring top physician assistant talent requires a strategic healthcare recruiting strategy. Highly competitive compensation and benefits, and opportunities for advancement can also become extremely important. Adding a commitment to a positive work-life balance with a supportive work environment would make a workplace more attractive.
If you are wondering how to hire physician assistants (PAs) effectively, offering competitive salary packages and comprehensive benefits is key to making your facility stand out from the competition.
To hire physician assistants effectively, consider incorporating the following strategies:
- PA work-life balance: Emphasizing flexible scheduling can help attract and hire physician assistants who can enjoy both professional and personal life.
- Career growth opportunities: Offering opportunities for professional advancement, such as ongoing education or enabling them to take leadership positions, tends to attract driven individuals. Creating an environment in which PAs are appreciated can significantly improve job contentment and, hence, employee retention.
Applying these strategies allows healthcare facilities to fill physician assistant vacancies with individuals who will interact well with patients and other team members.
To understand how to use a staffing agency to hire physician assistants, start by identifying your staffing needs, such as clinical setting, required experience, and shift flexibility. Once you find the right agency that meets your criteria, let them know of your requirements. It will source qualified candidates, verify credentials, and coordinate interviews, helping streamline the process while ensuring compliance and fit.
Contract vs. permanent physician assistants: What is suitable for your facility?
Whether to hire contract or permanent physician assistants depends on various factors, such as your facility’s needs, the length of support needed, and budget concerns. Contract PAs can be more flexible and cost-effective when only short-term needs are required, but permanent PA staffing offers more stability and long-term benefits. So, whichever it is, it must strategically fit into your facility’s goals.
- Contract physician assistants: These are highly versatile. If you need extra support temporarily to manage your workload or fill in for absent staff, hiring physician assistants as contractors can help. And, your investment cost will likely be lower than hiring full-time employees.
- Permanent physician assistants: These individuals grant stability, and a balanced team ensures continuity of care to the patients. It is also easy to train and develop people if they are around for the long haul.
For healthcare facilities, understanding the value of PAs in enhancing patient care and the healthcare center’s requirements leads to the vital decision of whether to hire them on a contract or full-time basis. So, as a recruiter, if your question is, “can a physician assistant be hired on contract for hospitals?” The answer is yes! Physician assistants can certainly be hired on a contract basis. This model offers flexibility, especially for hospitals needing short-term staff to address high patient volumes or fill gaps in the workforce due to employee absences, without the long-term commitment associated with permanent hires.
Ultimately, the appropriate choice should complement your practice’s long-term objectives in the areas of continuity of care and team stability.
Outsourcing vs. in-house hiring: Which physician assistant recruitment model works best for you?
Whether hiring through your in-house HR team or outsourcing to a third party, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with recruiting a physician assistant through both strategies. The notable aspects that determine which of the two can be said to be better are financial capacity, the degree of urgency of the hiring exercise, and the type of facility requirements. However, most challenges and advantages posed by one method or the other are found in both methods and are relatively unique.
Many facilities now choose to work with physician assistant recruiters to reduce hiring timelines and focus on verified talent. This model can complement internal teams by offering access to specialized networks and candidate databases that might not be otherwise available. Below is a comparison table explaining the pros and cons of using a staffing agency:
Using a staffing agency to find your permanent hire
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Using internal teams to find your permanent hire
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How can MedSquirrels help you build a high-performing team of Physician assistants?
Traditional staffing agencies often come with high service fees and sometimes can slow down the physician assistant hiring process due to their focus on quantity over quality. This approach may lead to mismatched candidates, delays in hiring, and higher costs for your facility.
As a healthcare recruiter, if you have a question, “What are the best platforms to hire physician assistants for clinics?”, hiring full-time physician assistants—whether in-house or through a staffing agency — involves significant complexities. However, with MedSquirrels, a staffing platform, you can streamline the physician assistant hiring process and overcome these common challenges.
If you are looking to hire physician assistants on a contract basis, the Purple Plan is a great option. This plan will help you quickly onboard the talent you have already sourced while taking care of all the essential tasks, including credentialing, HR responsibilities, payroll, and benefits.
For more comprehensive needs, the Orange Plan will find and hire top contractor talent based on your specific job description. It also manages credentialing, HR responsibilities, payroll, and benefits, allowing you to focus on your core operations while MedSquirrels handles the heavy lifting.
For full-time hiring, the Blue Plan offers an affordable solution that reduces staffing challenges. It provides you with a cost-effective option for bringing in full-time physician assistants, with a platform that ensures ease of use and streamlined processes.
MedSquirrels’staffing plans ensure you have the right tools to hire physician assistants in a way that meets your specific needs, whether for contract or full-time positions. Book a free demo to get to know more about this modern staffing platform.
FAQs
What qualifications should a hospital physician have?
A hospital physician typically needs a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree, completed residency training, board certification, and a valid state medical license. Soft skills like communication and leadership are also essential.
How can physician assistants improve operational efficiency in hospitals?
PAs can reduce physician workload, manage patient flow, handle routine procedures, and assist in surgeries. Their flexibility across specialties makes them a strategic asset in reducing wait times and improving throughput.
What are the common onboarding challenges when hiring a PA?
Delays often stem from slow credentialing, unclear role definition, or lack of structured orientation. A standardized onboarding plan ensures faster integration and patient care readiness.
How does MedSquirrels help hospitals hire qualified physician assistants?
MedSquirrels connects hospitals with a curated network of credentialed physician assistants ready for contract or permanent roles. Our platform streamlines vetting, credentialing, and onboarding to reduce hiring time and improve placement quality.
Can we find physician assistants with specialty experience on MedSquirrels?
Yes. MedSquirrels gives access to PAs with experience in cardiology, surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and other specialties, allowing hospitals to fill niche clinical gaps efficiently.
