We recently sat down with Cindy Lech, Director of Recruiting at Infinity Rehab. We chatted at length about her involvement with the National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR). The mission of NAHCR is to provide health care recruitment professionals education, networking and resources to become strategic business partners within a dynamic health care environment. The organization started in 1975 and today has about 1000 members. Cindy has been on the education committee since 2017. She opted to volunteer again for the committee this coming year.
Why Cindy Lech became involved with NAHCR
“I’m a member of the local chapter of NAHCR, the Oregon and Southwest Washington Association for Health Care Recruitment,” Cindy explained. “I decided in 2017 to sit for the Certified Health Care Recruiter certification exam through NAHRC, with it’s completion as a professional goal.” The test is administered annually at the NAHCR conference. Because of the timing, Lech was able to attend the conference and take the exam, which she passed.
Lech’s role with NAHCR today
Lech’s attendance at the annual NAHCR conference certainly had an impact on her. “I was so impressed by the conference, I volunteered to serve on the education committee in 2017 and again this year,” Lech shared. “I worked on a subcommittee last year to rewrite and edit a recruiting resource guide that is offered to healthcare recruiters through NAHCR.”
This opportunity to extend her learning in recruiting mesh perfectly with Infinity Rehab’s emphasis on always gathering new knowledge, always reaching further. “One of the many things I love about Infinity Rehab is how much life-long learning is valued, so volunteering with the education committee is a nice fit with my personal values and the values of the organization I represent,” Lech emphasized.
Highlights from this year’s NAHCR conference
This year’s conference marked Lech’s second year attending. Much like her first year attending, she came back with a wealth of information and ideas for her recruiting team this year.
“As technology changes, so does recruiting,” Lech noted. “Through the courses offered at the conference, I am able to learn about new technology that is impacting the role of the recruiter and the candidate experience. I can meet and talk directly with the vendors in the exhibit hall about their products.”
It’s directly because of these courses and interactions with vendors that Lech has integrated Skill Survey, an automated reference system, as well as a data-driven advertising platform through Shaker Marketing.
Last reflections on her role with NAHCR and the conference
After her attendance at the NAHCR conference, she reflected on a quote that was shared that left an impression on her: What we do fundamentally as an industry drives the experience for the patient.
“I think this can be applied to our work at Infinity Rehab,” Lech affirmed. “What are our patients looking for from their therapists?” As recruiters, we’re the first touchpoint to ensure we’re hiring high-caliber therapists who can meet the demands of a changing healthcare environment.”
Lech went on to emphasize that being a physical therapist, as well as a recruiter, always requires focusing on the patients. Lech stated, “It’s our job to partner with our hiring manager, doing our part to ensure our patients are receiving the best possible care.”