Case Study

By Karen Branz

When Mount Desert Island Hospital needed an interim director for their clinical lab, they asked for help from the Nielsen Healthcare Group (NHG).

"I asked some colleagues for recommendations, and their name came up. Also, our CEO had worked with them to find an interim VP of nursing, and that placement worked out very well," said Susan Ray, RN, BSM, MBA/MHCM, vice president of Ancillary and Support Services for Mount Desert Island.

"They really listened to our needs, and they only presented candidates who were very well qualified. I didn't have to take time to screen candidates, because NHG already completed this," she said. They did it quickly and effectively, she added.

"The candidate was very professional during the phone interview, and just as professional when we met in person. The process went very smoothly and was well organized," said Ray.

The Nielsen Healthcare Group has a unique fee system. Hospitals pay them a finder's fee when the candidate arrives on site and begins work. The fee is equal to 8.33% of the candidate's annualized salary. No other fees are paid unless the hospital hires the candidate full-time or the candidate stays more than six months. In that case, the hospital pays NHG a second, final fee of 8.33%. Members of the Maine Hospital Association receive an 8% discount.

"We see our role as being a matchmaker," said Craig Venneman, vice president of the Nielsen Healthcare Group. "We search our database and find the best candidates, then we check to see if the candidates are interested in the position. We present the candidates to the client with references, confirmed degrees, verified licensure and more and they choose whom they want to interview."

The unique fee system was designed to keep the fees predictable for the client. Unlike ongoing fee arrangements, said Venneman, the client knows that, no matter how long the candidate is there, the hospital will pay no more than 16.66 % of the annualized salary. "The fees have remained the same since Bruce Nielsen started the business in 1991," he said.

"I negotiated salary directly with the candidate," Ray explained. "I really appreciated that portion of the process. It gave me a chance to negotiate what other terms and resources she would need to be successful here." The lab manager stayed eight months, and Ray said she really turned things around. "Because she was so successful, I wish I could have kept her permanently. But, as an interim, she was here only temporarily until we secured a qualified permanent director."

"There were no glitches in the process. Later, when I needed an interim imaging director, I didn't hesitate. I called Nielsen right away," Ray said. "Both of these candidates came in and hit the ground running. Both had the experience and the leadership ability we needed, and they quickly built credibility with their peers and with the staff."

Ray said she expected that using a recruitment firm would be expensive, but she says she doesn't mind paying the fee when she gets a high caliber of candidate in a very short time. "They were not overpriced for the level of service they provided. It was definitely worth it."

John Dalton, the chief executive officer for Inland Hospital in Waterville, had a similar experience with NHG. He asked them to recruit an interim administrator for the hospital's 100-bed long-term care facility.

Dalton said Dan Booth, vice president of operations, recommended NHG.

"I had used them previously, on a recommendation from the Maine Hospital Association, to find an interim director of imaging," said Booth.

"It was a very straightforward process for me," he said. "They did a good intake interview to get a feel for what I was looking for, and presented two candidates. They stayed right on top of things, but there was no pressure. They were very professional." "We were facing regulatory and budget challenges. The interim administrator rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He really connected with the management group, and made several good suggestions for improving productivity. We felt we got full value from the transaction," said Dalton.

The Nielsen Healthcare Group has been chosen by the Maine Hospital Association through its wholly owned entity, Associated Health Resources, to be the recommended provider of interim managers/directors/executives.

To learn more about the Nielsen Healthcare Group, contact Bruce Nielsen or Craig Venneman at 800/581-8901.


www.nielsenhealthcare.com.