All across the United States, hospitals, private practices and other medical organizations are short staffed. In fact, this problem has become profound enough for federal legislators to introduce a nursing shortage bill.

In many cases, understaffing results from a lack of capital. If a company cannot afford enough employees, then it has to make compromises.

In addition to financial hardship, medical companies are often understaffed as a result of a failure to optimize their hiring processes. Finding and retaining skilled workers is an involved process that requires the commitment of time and resources.

Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to optimize your medical company’s hiring system. Here are four of them:

  1. Seek Professional Assistance from a Staffing Agency

If your company lacks a streamlined process for finding, evaluating and training employees, then your hiring managers have fewer qualified candidates to choose from. This can lead to higher turnover as supervisors are forced to replace underperforming or unskilled workers.

Don’t make this mistake. Instead, you should enlist the support of professional medical staffing agencies with a reputation for helping other companies within your industry. This not only will reduce the time-loss that comes with attracting candidates, but it will also prevent wasting resources on training unqualified staff.

It is important to remember, however, that not all staffing agencies are reputable. Here are a few qualities you should look for when comparing the options:

  • An established reputation;
  • Great customer service;
  • Stellar online reviews;
  • And an excellent Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating.
  1. Optimize the Interview

Another strategy you should implement to expedite and optimize your hiring process is to enhance the interview process. Even if a candidate possesses the necessary skills to fill a position, he or she may not have the personality to perform well. The interview will give you an idea of the impact a candidate will have on your company.

One great way to optimize the interview is to define the position and requirements clearly. This strategy has two immediate benefits: First, it helps the job candidate determine whether he or she possesses the skill set necessary to fill the position. Second, it provides hiring managers with a guide for evaluating the job candidate’s aptitude for fulfilling the roles and responsibilities of the position.

  1. Get Your Employees Involved

As noted in Fast Company, hiring managers should discuss open positions with the staff. Many people network with professionals in the same industry, and an employee referral can save you dozens of hours and thousands of dollars by filling the position immediately.

  1. Be Patient

In many cases, medical business owners become frustrated with the time it takes to find the ideal candidate. Don’t fall into this mindset.

While you may have interviewed a few candidates with the minimum requirements to fulfill a position, staying patient will give you more time to attract a highly qualified applicant. This can make all the difference in the world – not only by maximizing productivity but also by enhancing the professional culture within your company.

If you run a medical business and want to streamline your hiring process, these simple strategies can help you find the perfect candidates for open positions. By working with a medical staffing agency, optimizing your interviews, getting your employees involved and being patient, you will maximize the likelihood of filling your staff with industry-leading professionals.