As a firm, we speak to dozens of physicians and clients each day. This gives us the ability to spot trends in the marketplace as they are developing. Additionally, our business development team that meets clients regarding specific recruitment needs is the first to see these requests from clients for different physician specialties.

One such trend of recent years is the great increase in demand for psychiatrists, neurologists/neurohospitalists, gastroenterologists and urgent care physicians. We believe the demand for psychiatrists and neurologists stems partly from the great increase in mental health awareness in our society. Psychiatrists and neurologists in greater numbers are also subspecializing, leaving many general psychiatry and neurological patients searching for a provider. Another explanation for this increased demand likely stems from the renewed emphasis of mental health benefits stipulated in the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, as our primary care physicians have gone into subspecialties, this has left a void in mental health where many primary care physicians used to do basic mental health.

In gastroenterology, we see a demand increasing not just from the aging population, but also with new requirements to start colonoscopy screenings at age 45 rather than the current age of 50. Our clients are trying to get ahead of the curve and have been increasing their initial compensation offers, even in the metropolitan areas.

Urgent Care is interesting because we have seen many family physicians choosing this option for a better work/life balance through 8am-8pm shift work versus the traditional Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm schedule. Hospitals have accommodated this shift very quickly, developing their urgent care clinics and competing with private urgent care centers to help keep patients within their referral network, creating more of a demand for urgent care physicians.

These are not the only trends we’re following nor are they the only physician specialties that are in high demand across the country. This merely offers a peek into what is happening in the marketplace right now, and what we estimate will continue to change as time goes by. At Pacific Companies, we are in an ideal position to see these trends early on and can share our unique insights with you.

-Chris Kahl | Pacific Companies Inc.