With a physician shortage, it’s hard enough to recruit doctors anywhere, but in rural areas, the challenge is heightened. This has left many rural hospitals desperate for qualified physicians, leading to sky-high recruiting costs, or, even worse, vacancies that can’t be filled at all. So, to attract physicians and better both employee and patient satisfaction, out-of-the box recruiting methods and scheduling was the key for one hospital.

In Colorado., Yuma District Hospital has cleared this hurdle by moving away from traditional doctor’s hours and instead putting into effect a part-time schedule for its physicians, with three days on and four days off each week, according to an article from Becker’s Hospital Review. This gives physicians plenty of flexible time to spend out enjoying the outdoors, decompressing from long shifts and the big city, and makes rural life that much more appealing.

When on the clock, the hospital’s six primary care physicians and one nurse practitioner are fresh and ready to work. They put patient care at the forefront by working in three “teams” to keep communication and transitional care at the best it can be, all while providing patients with better care. The results? Higher HCAHPS scores, better patient compliance and a decline in chronic readmissions.

And just think: Without the hospital’s creative recruiting methods as a tier of their satisfaction efforts, much of this may not have been possible.

Though Yuma District Hospital’s exact recruiting method might not work for your hospital, just think what could be possible if your organization comes up with a similarly creative idea for recruiting or improving physician satisfaction based on your location. Like Yuma District Hospital, your organization could wind up with well-qualified physicians who are happy to be where they are, and who are likely to pass that happiness along in the quality care they provide.