Practice leaders and managers looking for new staff strongly prioritize the “cultural fit” of candidates over other qualifications, according to a flash survey conducted by the Medical Group Management Association earlier this week.
In fact, some 69% percent of the 1,370 respondents named cultural fit as the most important consideration, while only 13% said previous experience and just 9% named technical competence.
Another 9% indicated “other.” Asked to elaborate, these respondents wrote in things like character, attitude and personality; work ethic, problem-solving and adaptability; and “hungry, humble, smart.”
Shelly Waggoner, an MGMA vice president, commented that what healthcare hiring managers are really looking for is “that an individual can be self-reflective in terms of what they do well, what they can do better and what impact their work has on others.”
In presenting the results of the poll, which was part of the ongoing MGMA Stat series, the organization observed clinical competencies “are no longer enough in a time when patient experience, population health, team-based care and community initiatives are becoming more integrated into the medical practice.”
MGMA has a membership of around 45,000 people from more than 12,000 healthcare organizations.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.