Provider Recruitment

Provider Recruitment Program (PRP) 

Purpose

The Provider Recruitment Program (PRP) was created as a pilot in September 2014 with Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC) board-approved funding for our 14-county service area. To date, more than $9.3 million has been approved for the PRP to support hiring of primary care providers, mental health providers, and behavioral professionals.

Success

In eight years, the program has supported 579 offers of acceptance (264 physicians, 302 advanced practice providers (NP's/PA's), and 13 behavioral health(BH) professionals) with program incentives at a rate of six offers accepted per month to enhance partner organization recruitment efforts to meet access to care needs of PHC membership.

Goal

To increase PHC member access to primary care providers and BH professionals across our region, which includes many rural counties. (Program does not include support for dentists)

2022 Program Update

Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC) has made updates to the Provider Recruitment Program (PRP) in response to increased competition, a shortage of candidates, and increased costs incurred by sites hosting candidates. The update includes an enhanced signing bonus available for licensed behavioral health professionals and certified substance use disorder (SUD) counselors, as well as an increase to the program’s site visit.

Organizations with an existing PRP grant agreement with PHC will need to execute an amendment to the agreement in order to participate with the updated incentives.

Primary Care Providers (practicing in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology)

Mental Health Providers (Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, and Psychiatric Physician Assistants)

Program Highlights / Incentives Available:

      • $50,000 signing bonus for physician candidates
      • $25,000 signing bonus for nurse practitioners/physician assistants (NP/PA)
      • $5,000 moving allowance match
      • $1,000 site visit match
      • $5,000 extended family moving allowance

Program Criteria for Provider Support:

      • If the candidate is currently practicing, they must be from outside PHC's 14-county footprint.
      • Providers in training or residency programs within our footprint qualify for program support
        • Sites interested in connecting to physician residency programs to discuss hosting physician residents can contact WFD@partnershiphp.org to learn more
      • Requests for support must be made before formal offers have been made to candidates. Requests for the $1,000 site visit match must be made before the site visit has occurred.
      • OB/GYN physician candidates must be open to providing primary care services to PHC members*.
      • Psychiatric providers must provide both in-person and telehealth care services to PHC membership- specific to this provider.
      • Participating organizations must be contracted with PHC for recruiting individual providers who are credentialed to join PHC's network and treat membership. The recruited providers must accept an offer of employment consistent with the terms outlined in PHC's Provider Recruitment Program grant agreement.
*Special requirements for OBGYN/PRP support.

Behavioral Health Professionals


Program Highlights / Incentives Available:

        • $10,000 signing bonus available for below licensed BH professionals with special skill/specialty (ie. Bilingual, or from or connected with a culturally, ethnically, or racially underrepresented community, or specific specialty training/experience):
              • Licensed Clinical Social Workers
              • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
              • Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
              • Licensed Clinical Psychologists
        • $4,000 signing bonus for Certified Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Counselors
        • $5,000 signing bonus for Bilingual Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselors

Program Criteria for BH Professional Support

        • The program is available for successfully recruited candidates employed with an organization (i.e., not solo providers) that is currently contracted with PHC or with Beacon Health Options. 
        • If the candidate is currently practicing, they must be from outside our 14-county footprint. Providers in training programs within our footprint qualify for program support. 
        • Certified counselors, in place practicing as registered counselors who become certified or candidates hired as certified counselors would qualify for support; registered drug counselors are not eligible for support.
        • Requests for support must be made before formal offers have been made to candidates.
        • Bilingual candidates must be bilingual in Spanish or another language needed within the PHC network.
        • Licensed BH professionals lacking required specialty training for program support at time of hire, may be approved for program incentives, but must complete the selected training within 18 months of official start date. Proof of completion of the training must be provided to PHC in order to process the bonus payment.
        • To qualify for BH recruitment program support, BH services may be provided via telehealth as long as the supported candidate resides in, and is certified/licensed by California. 
        • Program to support Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselors who plan to be credentialed to provide SUD Services in PHC's Wellness and Recovery Program Counties (Humboldt, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, or Solano).

Important Notes

        • Recruited provider candidates must stay in place for the full 36 month period to receive all of the approved signing bonus for primary care providers
        • There is a 12-month expectation of service attached to the first provider recruitment bonus payout, including the first BH signing bonus payment for supported candidates. If a candidate leaves their position before completing 12 months of service, they are expected to pay back the bonus less the months remaining of 12 (8.333% per month)
        • If a candidate is practicing less than full-time, the amount of the signing bonus will be prorated based on the percentage of full - time the candidate will be practicing.
        • Payment of approved program incentives cannot begin until supported candidates are credentialed within (6) months of candidate's start date.  Once credentialed, bonus comes along with a 12 month service expectation.
        • Facility will pay recruited candidates PRP payments minus any applicable taxes.  PRP payments may not be discounted from the compensation package that the recruited candidates receive from organization.

        • As part of the PRP, participating organization job postings may be hosted free of charge (based on posting availability) online for for up to 6 months or until the position is filled (whichever comes first). 

           

Questions


Please contact the Provider Recruitment team with any questions, concerns, or requests about the PRP. We are happy to be working with our partners to bring talented providers to our communities, and we are eager to assist you.

Email:  PRP@partnershiphp.org

Program Information