International Healthcare Recruitment: Challenge and Opportunity

The Chinese symbol for challenge is the same symbol for opportunity. It is appropriate then that foreign recruitment represents both a significant challenge and a great opportunity. It offers both high risk and high reward. It takes special expertise, financial resources, and a high tolerance for regulatory bureaucracy. Foreign recruitment is clearly not for everyone. But, in light of current and forecasted shortages and mal-distributions of qualified U.S.-educated professionals in virtually every healthcare occupation; recruitment of foreign educated professionals is a challenging but important competitive capability. To better manage the regulatory risks and challenges, some experienced recruiters and staffing companies have joined forces to manage the regulatory issues that inhibit the recruitment of foreign trained healthcare professionals, and they are making some headway.

The Nurses Are Coming, Along with Demand
In the nursing market, immigrant visa “retrogression” has delayed the arrival of thousands of U.S. licensed, foreign-educated nurses for as long as six years. For most companies that recruit RNs, this regulatory bottleneck made foreign nurse recruitment impractical. This regulatory challenge was the genesis for the creation of the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment (AAIHR). Now, although visa retrogression continues for foreign RNs, the visa “priority dates” for many of these foreign nurses are becoming current and visas are being issued. At the same time, demand for nurses is improving. So, staffing companies with expertise in international recruitment are beginning to realize a return on their investments.

Therapists Continue to Fill a Need
In the therapy market, demand for PTs, OTs, and SLPs remained strong even during the worst of the recession over the last several years. The shortage and maldistribution of US educated professionals in these occupations is among the greatest of all healthcare occupations with demand far outstripping supply. Some geographic locations and clinical settings struggle mightily to attract and retain US educated therapists. With high demand, US educated therapists usually choose the most popular locations and clinical settings. But healthcare organizations and the patients in less popular locations and settings still need healthcare and therefore need healthcare providers. Despite significant regulatory complexity, informed organizations that wisely invest their time and resources are realizing success in foreign therapist recruitment.

Together Everyone Achieves More
Regulatory hurdles make foreign therapy recruitment a challenge to be sure. Going it alone to overcome these regulatory hurdles is a daunting prospect at best. But by working together through AAIHR, member companies are building a regulatory knowledge base and are cultivating constructive relationships with the organizations that regulate the healthcare occupations. As a result, these recruiting and staffing companies are legally and ethically hiring therapists, satisfying clients they otherwise could not, and many are realizing significant growth.

Companies interested in learning more about how to succeed at foreign recruitment are encouraged to visit the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment website, and to attend the upcoming annual meeting of AAIHR on November 2nd in Alexandria, Virginia.

Bill Deville

Bill Deville
Bill DeVille is CEO of Health Carousel LLC, which provides workforce solutions for healthcare organizations. Health Carousel is a founding member of AAIHR. Bill can be reached at bill.deville (at) healthcarousel (dot) com.

Bill Deville

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