There’s a common trade-off you face when recruiting physicians: invest in relocation services to attract talent or accept longer vacancies and elevated workload for existing staff.
You will see faster hiring cycles when you offer targeted relocation packages, because candidates often choose offers that remove moving friction. You can include moving expenses, temporary housing, licensure support, and spousal job search assistance to make an offer stand out.
You should weigh direct costs against the hidden costs of an open position, including overtime, lost revenue, and reduced patient access. You can calculate break-even by comparing average vacancy cost per month with the one-time relocation expense and potential retention gains over two to five years.
You will improve retention when relocation services address practical barriers that cause early departures. You can track retention at 12 and 24 months to judge program effectiveness. You should also monitor time-to-fill, candidate acceptance rate, and total cost-per-hire to measure return on investment.
You will face risks such as indemnity issues, tax reporting complexity, and inconsistent expectations if policies are vague. You can mitigate these risks with clear written agreements, standardized benefit tiers by specialty, and use of reputable relocation vendors who handle logistics and compliance.
You can tailor relocation offerings by specialty, geography, and candidate stage of life to avoid overspending. You should offer flexible packages where candidates pick items they need most, such as house-hunting trips, temporary housing, or a lump-sum moving stipend.
You will improve candidate experience by communicating timelines and providing a single point of contact during the move. You can include a checklist for licensure, credentialing, school information, and local orientation to shorten onboarding time.
You can conclude that relocation services are worth it when your analysis shows faster fills, improved early retention, and net cost savings compared with vacancy expenses. You should run a pilot with clear metrics, refine your policy based on outcomes, and scale the program if the pilot delivers measurable benefits.
