The Ivy Group provides UVA Health System (UVAHS) with recruitment advertising, consulting, and creative to recruit talented nurses to the UVAHS team.

An Ensemble Enterprise

Effective recruitment is an ensemble enterprise: strategy, copy, design, technology solutions, advertising, and social media work in synergy.  Our job has been to make the recruiters' job easier by delivering creative concepts, graphic design, advertising, media negotiations, multimedia and web production, social media and logistical support--all at a brisk pace and tracked precisely--to reach the most qualified candidates.

A Reputation for Excellence

University of Virginia Medical Center's international reputation for quality health care services and groundbreaking medical education and research has been The Ivy Group's springboard for recruiting success. During the last year alone, we collaborated with the Health System's Talent Acquisition team in promoting the centers of excellence, state-of-the-art technology and facilities, and commitment to patient care to recruit many uniquely qualified individuals in addition to over one thousand experienced registered nurses.

A Challenging Recruitment Market

Expanded insurance coverage and accountability compel hospitals to control costs while ensuring quality and increasing reach. Add to these challenges an aging population with chronic healthcare needs, an improving job market, and shortages of clinicians at all levels. The result is high (and rising) demand for qualified, general patient care workers and nurses with specialized skills and experience. With 55% of the registered nurse workforce over the age of 50, the projected shortage of 260,000 registered nurses is predicted to be especially acute in Virginia, according to the American Journal of Medical Quality's state-by-state analysis. Experts also foresee shortages of 150,000 physicians by 2025, and 38,000 pharmacists by 2030.

A Strategic, Integrated Campaign

The numbers are daunting, but UVAHS's prospects are bolstered by the strong foundational program of prospect cultivation and engagement that we have worked together to build over the past four years. The key components of our program are:

• Research-based strategy that identifies optimum geographic and psychographic targets;
• A dynamic social media and online advertising platform;
• A comprehensive understanding of UVA's brand philosophy, positioning, and application to communications and outreach;
• Negotiations for the most cost-effective media purchases;
• Conference and event promotion;
• Collaborative partnerships focused on veteran and diversity hiring; and
• Rapid response communications, postings, and multi-media production.

Over the previous four years, successful campaigns included:

• 20 in 20 (2011)
• Come Back to UVA (2011)
• People. Process. Promotion. (2011, Internal)
• You've Chosen a Noble Career. Now Choose Us. (2011-2012)
• Power of One (2013-2014)
• Your Next Step (2014-2015)
• Balance (2014-2015)

Our knowledge of "best practices" in healthcare recruiting, resourceful planning and strategy, and timely execution within brand standards have contributed to high performance recruiting. To date, the talent acquisition team has exceeded all baseline goals established for campaigns. Looking ahead, a more aggressive web presence will most certainly be one of recruitment's top priorities.