CASE STUDY Overcoming Rural Barriers: Orthopedic Spine Recruitment in the Southeast
Client
A regional hospital system in the Southeastern U.S., serving a multi-county rural population.
The Challenge
The hospital faced a familiar but difficult reality: recruiting a highly specialized orthopedic spine surgeon to a rural setting. Despite offering competitive compensation, the locationโs geography and perceived isolation led to consistent candidate hesitations and offer declines. Prior attempts to fill the role stretched beyond 12 months with no success.
Agency Talentโs Approach
We reframed the searchโnot by ignoring the location, but by spotlighting its overlooked strengths. Our team conducted a hyperlocal audit of what makes the community not just livable, but personally fulfilling for the right candidate:
- Family-first culture, with top-rated schools and tight-knit neighborhoods
- Outdoor lifestyle with exceptional fishing, nature trails, and lakefront property
- Community engagement through seasonal festivals, sports leagues, and volunteer events
- Financial advantage: no state income tax, lower cost of living, and physician-friendly malpractice laws
Pairing this with targeted messaging, we used a blended outreach modelโAI-powered candidate mapping, curated messaging funnels, and personal network activation through surgical subspecialty circles.
The Result
We presented a shortlist of highly qualified and pre-engaged candidates in under 8 weeks. A finalist was selected and hired by month fourโa board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon with ties to the region and a clear alignment with the communityโs pace and values.
Impact
The hire stabilized a high-need service line, cut projected locum costs, and strengthened the hospitalโs standing as a center of care within the region.
โWeโd almost given up on filling this role until we partnered with Agency Talent Physician Search. They didnโt just recruitโthey brought strategy, story, and energy to the process.โ
โ Chief Medical Officer, Southeast Regional Hospital