Originally published by Michael Walter on Radiology Business

Imaging providers are continuously filling holes in their radiologist coverage schedule. Maybe the only neuroradiologist is out sick, for example, or two-thirds of the staff all want to attend the same conference.

This is typically when groups turn to locum tenens, but the high cost, time-consuming logistics, and unpredictable performance can be a thorn in the side for imaging leaders wanting to deliver high-quality patient care in a streamlined and efficient manner.

More than 41% of radiologists separated from at least one practice over a recent four-year period, according to the Journal of the American College of Radiology, underscoring the specialty’s increasingly mobile nature.

Medical facilities bear the brunt of the costs associated with this transiency. Competition for a finite pool of qualified physicians is contributing to salary increases, with the average annual salary for radiologists exceeding $400,000 for the first time in 2019, up 3.6% over the previous year.

But salary growth is only a part of the burden for administrators. When a radiologist leaves, there’s the expense of recruiting and hiring a replacement; until the vacancy is filled, remaining staff must shoulder the stress of additional workload, including managing and training an interim locum tenens or a new hire. Any time a physician departs, there’s potential disruption for patients under their care.

The 2021 radiologist job market finds radiologists at the mercy of those who would hire them. The imbalance has a lot to do with a certain public health crisis, so it may prove temporary. Regardless, radiologists seeking a new challenge would be shrewd to slow down their job search at least long enough to survey the situation.

Got five minutes? I’ve got some thoughts to share.

One hard lesson learned during the pandemic is that healthcare providers must be agile­—ready to respond quickly and decisively when inevitable crises strike. When it comes to managing radiology staff in particular, some unique challenges and opportunities surfaced in the wake of COVID-19.

If your Curriculum Vitae isn’t all it could be, you may as well be stacking trophies in a cave. I say this as a longtime radiologist recruiter who firmly believes a CV is something of an unavoidable add-on. Much more important is who you are as a physician and a person.

Today marks the fourth annual National Women Physicians Day. This event celebrates Elizabeth Blackwell’s birthday; she was the first woman in America to receive a medical degree. As I’m a native Syracusan and alumnus of SUNY Upstate Medical University, Dr. Blackwell’s story is truly one of the most inspiring notes of history for me.

As the Vice President of Human Resources at vRad, I have the distinct privilege to oversee the recruitment and retention of our 500+ physicians.  A strong focus for my team is keeping our physicians engaged and happy as they are our most important asset.

Radiologists and healthcare administrators have been waiting a long time for the arrival of promised AI tools for radiology. Most AI applications used by radiology providers today are focused on worklist prioritization. While improving the speed of patient care is incredibly important, recent strides in quality improvement open a new world of possibility.

Hire the right radiologists, and your practice will position itself for long term success. But, before extending an offer, how do you ensure that an individual candidate will thrive within your organization?