Selling Rural
As a child growing up on a farm in rural Western Pennsylvania, no one could have convinced me that there was a better place to be. I was privileged to experience the benefits and beauty of growing up in a nature-surrounded, small-town community that supported one another. A community that is home to many shops and restaurants with unique attributes and character you can’t find at your run-of-the-mill chain restaurant.
However as I started to plan my future, I started to think that moving to the big city was the only way to make a career for myself. Rural hospitals across the country are battling this mentality every day. With the labor market becoming tighter and tighter year after year, hospitals in rural America are competing with large health systems that have access to resources that the rural hospitals don’t. While larger health systems may be able to offer a larger compensation package and more publicized programs, many young professionals have indicated their considerations have branched out beyond compensation packages or on-call schedules to factors that go beyond the job.
Early career physicians rank work-life balance, location, and organizational culture among the top reasons they stick with a job. They are also interested in how the organization supports individual staff members who wish to give back to the community, opportunities for medical mission trips and volunteer opportunities, and cultural inclusiveness and diversity. Key community features that contribute to the physician’s decision in selecting a position include the education systems in the community, the quality and cost of housing, restaurants and shopping, social events, and local activities.
After receiving feedback from our candidates, Corazon has implemented a community feature in every client profile. This is intended to showcase the best each community has to offer, from colleges, universities, and school systems in the area, even to how far the facility is from an international airport. We also highlight local attractions, national and state parks, cultural districts, and proximity to larger metropolitan areas. Included in every client profile are links to community-related videos to showcase the best attributes of the region.
Every community across the United States has a unique feature that makes them special. From the perfect town to raise a family with award-winning school systems, to the urban chic artist communities perfect for the individual who is looking for a more social environment, or the rural communities that are surrounded by amazing national and state parks – perfect for the active couple who likes to enjoy the great outdoors. Rural hospitals need to showcase these small wonders that make them special, especially if they want to stand out from the larger health systems. Creating and conveying these potential lasting memories, like the ones that stick with me from my childhood, is how hospitals sell rural.
Author: Nicole Storey – Recruitment Specialist
