Blog | HR |
10 Min Read
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August 17, 2023

How to Choose an ATS for Healthcare HR

by Morris Isaacson

In the dynamic and ever-changing world of healthcare, where precision and efficiency are not just desired but essential, the recruitment process can often feel like navigating through a complex maze. The quest for the right talent, adherence to ever-changing regulations, and seeking to align every hire with organizational goals can quickly become overwhelming. 

 

While the Great Resignation is said to be over, Peterson-KFF’s 2023 data shows that overall healthcare employment trends are still below pre-pandemic levels. It begs the question: How can you combat these challenges and make the recruitment process both manageable and strategically aligned?

 

This is where an ATS for healthcare is a game-changer. This revolutionary technology is designed to streamline the hiring process, ensuring that you are equipped to find the best talent.

But what exactly is an ATS, and how can it transform the healthcare HR landscape? Read on to find comprehensive insights, tips, and practical advice to help you make an informed decision for your organization.

 

What does ATS stand for?

Understanding the ATS meaning in HR is essential. Knowing what it is and how it works will help you align your recruitment process with organizational goals, ensure compliance, and gain valuable insights.

ATS might sound like yet another piece of tech jargon, but it’s a term that’s reshaping the way healthcare HR operates. It stands for Applicant Tracking System, a comprehensive software solution designed to automate and manage the recruitment process from start to finish. From posting job openings to sorting, organizing, and tracking candidates through the hiring process, using an ATS ensures that you can identify and engage the best talent.

 

Why use an applicant tracking system?

 

Navigating the complex world of healthcare recruitment is no small feat. The stakes are high, and the need for precision, efficiency, and a positive candidate experience can’t be overstated. The Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) reports that a lengthy recruiting process is the top reason for a negative candidate experience.

Application tracking systems for healthcare address these challenges, offering several benefits such as:

  • Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks and reduces manual effort. It also streamlines the hiring process, allowing you to focus on strategic decisions instead of administrative work. This efficiency translates into faster hiring and better talent acquisition. 
  • Compliance: Ensures that you adhere to all relevant healthcare laws and regulations during the hiring process. This minimizes legal risks that could cause severe damage to your bottom line and reputation.
  • Analytics: Provides valuable insights into hiring trends and performance. It helps you understand what’s working and what’s not so you can make data-driven decisions. 
  • Integration with HCM: Integrates with human capital management (HCM) systems to ensure a unified HR management system, enhancing collaboration and consistency across various HR functions.
  • Customization: Allows you to customize your solution to meet specific requirements and needs. This ensures that the system aligns perfectly with your organizational goals and processes.

The right ATS is more than just a software solution — it’s a partner in building a robust healthcare team. As we’ve seen, the benefits are clear. But what about the specific features that make an ATS for healthcare stand out?

Why use an applicant tracking system?

 

Choosing the right ATS is akin to finding the perfect puzzle piece that fits seamlessly into your healthcare HR tech stack. Several must-have features will make the best ATS truly stand out and take your recruitment process to new heights:

 

  • Automated job posting: Gone are the days of manually typing and uploading posts to multiple platforms. An ATS allows for simultaneous posting of job openings across various platforms, including job boards and social media.
  • Resume parsing: Screening software automatically extracts information from resumes, such as contact details and qualifications. It saves time by eliminating manual data entry and ensures that candidate information is accurately captured.
  • AI-powered matching: Artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT is rapidly becoming the best healthcare recruiting assistant. An ATS uses AI to match candidates with suitable roles to identify the best talent. It goes beyond keywords, considering various other factors to find the perfect fit and enhance the quality of new hires.
  • Customizable workflows: Customizable workflows make it easy to tailor the recruitment process to your specific organizational needs. This flexibility ensures alignment with unique hiring procedures, which enhances efficiency and consistency.
  • Collaborative hiring: Collaborative features such as shared notes and comments, task assignment, and shared calendars allow multiple team members to participate in the hiring process. This fosters teamwork, ensures alignment with organizational goals, and enhances the overall efficiency of the recruitment process.
  • Candidate relationship management (CRM): CRM features allow you to build and maintain relationships with candidates by enabling personalized communication and engagement. This improves the candidate experience and builds positive relationships, which can increase your recruitment success rates.
  • Onboarding integration: A streamlined, robust onboarding process can improve retention rates by as much as 82%. An ATS can integrate with your onboarding systems to ensure a seamless experience for hires. This reduces the time to productivity and boosts employee satisfaction.
  • Cloud-based accessibility: ATS software is cloud-based. So all data is securely stored and accessible from anywhere. It also ensures your system is always up to date with the latest features.

 

These are just some of the numerous features an ATS has to offer. They all collectively contribute to making the ATS a powerful tool in the recruitment process, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and strategic alignment. 

 

5 Questions to Guide Your Healthcare ATS Selection

Moving forward, you will need to know how to choose the perfect ATS for your organization. The following five questions will serve as a compass, guiding you through the overwhelming number of options so you can choose a solution that resonates with your unique company.

 

How Will An ATS Help My Healthcare HR Team?

 

First, consider how the ATS you’re considering will enhance collaboration, streamline processes, and align with organizational goals. Look for features that specifically cater to healthcare HR to ensure that the system is not just a tool but a strategic asset.

 

How Will An ATS Deliver ROI?

 

Evaluate the potential return on investment (ROI) by considering factors such as:

  • Time savings
  • Improved hiring quality
  • Compliance management

 

An effective ATS should provide tangible benefits that translate into financial gains.

 

Does This ATS Have the “Must-Have” Features for Healthcare HR?

 

Ensure that the ATS offers essential features tailored to healthcare HR. Look for:

 

  • Customization
  • Compliance tracking
  • ATS-HCM software integration
  • Robust analytics and reporting

 

How Well Does the ATS Collaborate with Other Software?

 

Assess the interoperability of the ATS with other software solutions in your organization. Seamless integration ensures a unified experience, enhancing collaboration and efficiency across various functions.

 

How Long is the Learning Curve?

 

Finally, consider the ease of use and how long it will take your team to adapt to the new system. An ATS that’s difficult to learn and use can disrupt workflows, which minimizes efficiency, reduces job satisfaction, and can harm the quality of patient care. A user-friendly ATS minimizes the learning curve, ensuring a smooth transition and faster adoption.

 

ATS SaaS and HR Interoperability

In today’s digital age, ATS SaaS is a necessity for healthcare organizations to combat the diverse challenges of healthcare recruitment. But effective HR takes more than just streamlining the hiring and recruitment process — it requires the creation of a robust, flexible digital HCM platform that integrates seamlessly with various HR solutions.

Empeon’s HCM solution is designed with interoperability in mind, ensuring you can build a robust HR tech stack that meets your organization’s unique needs. It offers both flexibility and adaptability, accommodating integrations with leading ATS providers to ensure you have the best tools at your fingertips.

Are you ready to elevate your healthcare HR to new heights? Our customized solutions and services are designed to allow you to go beyond daily tasks so you can empower your people from the beginning of the recruitment process. Book a demo today to see how our wide variety of solutions can transform your healthcare HR.


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