Hiring qualified medical professionals at surgery centers presents unique challenges. Surgery centers, which offer specialized procedures outside traditional hospital settings, require a highly skilled workforce to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Recruiting and retaining talent in these roles is an ongoing struggle, with distinct challenges across regardless of if you’re in rural areas or populated cities like Charlotte, New York City or Nashville. Below are the top seven challenges faced by surgery centers in recruiting medical professionals, supported by data on retention, turnover, and hiring practices.
1. Limited Pool of Specialized Medical Professionals
Surgery centers require specialized professionals, such as surgical nurses, anesthesiologists, and operating room technicians, with skills specific to ambulatory surgery. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses said that 15% of registered nurses have surgical experience, which narrows the available talent pool. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are around 110,000 certified surgical technologists in the U.S., with a projected job growth of 6% from 2021-2031, emphasizing the competition for these limited professionals.
2. Retention Challenges and High Turnover Rates
Retention is a key issue, as surgery centers face higher turnover rates than hospitals. Surgery centers report a 20% turnover rate for clinical roles, compared to the 16% turnover rate in hospitals, according to the Healthcare Retention and Recruitment Institute.
3. Rising Demand for Highly Specialized Skills
A March 2024 the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers (AAASC) report from stated that minimally invasive procedures are increasing at an 8% annual rate. Adding to the pressure to find highly skilled staff. In the Southeast, including Florida, the Florida Healthcare Workforce Coalition projects a 30% shortage in anesthesia providers by 2030, adding to the challenge of securing these highly specialized roles.
4. Dependence on Local Talent Within Commuting Range
Most surgery centers are in close proximity or within larger metropolitan areas. The burden of travel is reduced, which is a plus for those centers. However, as the population shifts to suburban areas, more centers are popping up. The competition for talent is extrapolated because of the lack of options. Burnout hasn’t recovered from the days of the pandemic as the American Hospital Association saw a peak of 62% of nurses experiencing burnout. That number rises with 69% of nurses under 25 years old reporting burnout.
5. Recruitment Competition from Larger Healthcare Systems
Surgery centers often face stiff competition from larger hospitals and health systems with more resources and extensive benefit packages. Many healthcare professionals prefer the security of hospital employment, where opportunities for advancement and continuing education are more readily available. A 2023 survey from the American Hospital Association showed that 70% of healthcare workers would choose a hospital over a smaller facility for career growth. Surgery centers must find creative ways to compete, often offering higher pay rates or unique benefits to attract talent.
6. Limited Access to Entry-Level Talent
Hiring entry-level talent, particularly recent graduates, is challenging for surgery centers that demand specific training and experience in surgery-related care. Unlike hospitals, which often partner with nursing schools for pipeline programs, surgery centers lack structured training programs that can help them onboard new graduates effectively. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing reports that 60% of newly licensed nurses begin their careers in hospital settings5, limiting the entry-level talent available to smaller surgical facilities.
How do they level the playing field?
Partnering with various organizations throughout your city is a major advantage. MMI helps alleviate the pressure on our clients by preparing them before they need it.
Step one is sitting down with our client’s leadership team to roadmap what the next 6-12 months look like for the organization. From there, we use our internal research department to share data about your local market. This allows our partners to be prepared for the number of people needed compared to the projected candidates available.
Additionally, we provide salary guidance, expectations on time to close, sample resumes from past hires, and even marketing strategies we use to attract the best talent.
If you’re interested in a consultation, please contact us here to get quick answers and recommendations for your specific needs.