How to Recruit Anesthesiologists
Anesthesiology offers strong compensation with diverse practice settings from hospital ORs to ambulatory surgery centers, pain management, and critical care. Recruiting anesthesiologists requires understanding their preferences for case mix, supervision models, and practice autonomy.
Key Recruiting Challenges
- 1CRNA supervision model preferences vary widely
- 2Call coverage requirements can be dealbreakers
- 3ASC vs hospital OR preferences
- 4Pain medicine subspecialty increasingly popular
- 5Private practice vs employed model preferences
- 6Geographic constraints due to OR-based work
Ideal Candidate Profile
Training Requirements
- MD or DO degree
- 4-year Anesthesiology residency
- Optional fellowship (cardiac, pediatric, pain, critical care)
- Board certification (ABA)
Preferred Experience
- Case mix aligned with position needs
- Regional anesthesia skills
- Cardiac/trauma experience if applicable
- Teaching experience for academic roles
- Leadership experience for director roles
Key Certifications
- ABA Board Certification
- ACLS required
- State medical license
- DEA registration
Compensation Tips
Key Negotiation Factors
- Base vs production model
- Call coverage (in-house vs home)
- CRNA supervision ratios
- Cardiac cases premium
- ASC vs hospital split
- Partnership/ownership timeline
Common Benefits
- Schedule flexibility
- Partnership opportunities
- ASC investment options
- CME allowance
- Malpractice coverage
- Relocation assistance
Sourcing Strategies
1Fellowship Recruitment
Target fellowship-trained anesthesiologists for cardiac, pain, or pediatric positions. General anesthesiologists are more readily available but command less premium.
2Care Team Model Clarity
Be upfront about CRNA supervision ratios and care team model. Some anesthesiologists want solo practice, others prefer team-based. Match expectations early.
3ASC Opportunity Highlight
Ambulatory surgery center investment opportunities attract anesthesiologists seeking ownership. Clearly explain any ASC partnership paths available.
4Call Schedule Transparency
Call coverage is a major decision factor. Be specific about call frequency, in-house vs home call, and how emergent cases are handled.
5Database Outreach with Specifics
Use physician databases to identify anesthesiologists by subspecialty. Reach out with specific case mix, supervision model, and call schedule details.
Interview Questions
- 1What is your preferred case mix and volume?
- 2Describe your experience with regional anesthesia techniques.
- 3What is your comfort level with CRNA supervision/team anesthesia?
- 4How do you approach complex or high-risk cases?
- 5What are your expectations for call coverage?
- 6Are you interested in pain medicine or other subspecialty work?
- 7What is your approach to pre-operative assessment?
Red Flags to Watch For
- Quality or safety concerns in references
- Inflexibility on care team model
- Unrealistic call expectations
- Poor relationships with surgeons or OR staff
- Resistance to case mix diversity
- Lack of regional anesthesia skills
Retention Strategies
- Deliver on case mix and schedule promises
- Maintain fair call rotation
- Offer partnership/ownership path
- Provide ASC opportunities if available
- Competitive compensation tied to production
- Foster collegial OR environment
- Minimize administrative burden
Market Trends
- ASC growth shifting cases out of hospitals
- Pain management subspecialty growing
- Team anesthesia models expanding
- Regional anesthesia emphasis increasing
- Private equity consolidation of groups
- Perioperative medicine role emerging
Competitor Landscape
Anesthesiologists choose between private groups, hospital employment, national staffing companies, academic positions, and locum tenens. Private groups offer ownership but instability. Hospital employment offers stability but less autonomy. National companies offer flexibility but commoditization. Differentiate with ownership opportunities, case mix, call schedule, and culture.
Recruitment Timeline
Sourcing & Initial Contact
2-4 weeks- Database search
- Fellowship outreach
- Initial screening
- Care model discussion
Interview Process
2-3 weeks- Phone screen
- Site visit
- OR observation
- Meet group/leadership
Offer & Negotiation
2-3 weeks- Reference checks
- Offer presentation
- Contract negotiation
- Start date
Credentialing
45-75 days- Hospital privileging
- License verification
- DEA
- Onboarding
Start Recruiting Anesthesiologists Today
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