What Is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system — or ATS, for short — is one of the most valuable digital tools for healthcare office managers. It's a software application that optimizes the entire recruitment process, streamlining many HR tasks. (For example, screening resumes for a physical therapist vacancy in your practice.) 

Read on for an applicant tracking system definition and learn the benefits of this HR software.

Applicant Tracking System Definition

An applicant tracking system is a software application that automates various recruitment tasks for office managers in the healthcare sector, such as:

• Posting job ads for doctors, dentists, surgeons, billing managers, and all other types of healthcare employees.
• Screening healthcare applicants' cover letters and resumes.
• Rating healthcare applicants during the recruitment process. 
• Sharing information about applicants to managers and other HR team members.
• Communicating directly with applicants. 

An ATS tracks the recruitment process from the initial job posting to hiring, making it a powerful weapon in any office manager's arsenal. 

How Does an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Work?

An applicant tracking system automatically processes electronic applications from healthcare candidates such as doctors, pharmacists, medical administrators, etc. An ATS uses algorithms to screen applicants based on the information contained in these electronic documents. This information includes:

• For healthcare jobs, specific medical skills (emergency medicine, surgery, checking vital signs, etc.).
• For healthcare management jobs, specific administration skills (billing, scheduling, database management, etc.).
• For all jobs, specific soft skills (timekeeping, communication, organization, etc.).
• Years of experience in healthcare.
• Previous job role.
• Other criteria your practice uses to select employees.

Some applicant tracking systems match specific keywords in applications to screen candidates; other systems use artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Regardless of the method used, an ATS shortlists candidates for required job positions in your practice, removing a lot of the manual work associated with the initial stages of recruitment. 

Once an ATS has shortlisted candidates, you can share this information with managers and other HR team members or communicate directly with applicants. You can then forward chosen applicants to the interview stage. 

What Are the Benefits of an Applicant Tracking System for Healthcare Office Managers?

The biggest benefit of incorporating an applicant tracking system into your practice is speed. An ATS finds the right people for your practice automatically, speeding up the healthcare recruitment process. 

As an office manager, you know how long it takes to read through cover letters and resumes and find qualified candidates. An ATS does all the hard work for you. With built-in communication features, you can quickly share recruitment information with other team members and find eligible candidates in a shorter timeframe. 

Here's an example:

You require five new nurses for your practice, and 300 people apply for the five available positions. An ATS sifts through all 300 applications based on the specific criteria required for each role. The process takes a few minutes instead of hours or days. 

There are other benefits of an ATS: 

• A centralized database of applicant data that you can use to generate reports about recruitment trends. (For example, discover what job types receive the most applications.) Use this information to optimize your healthcare HR strategies. 
• Submit feedback about candidates and share this information with other team members. Discuss whether a particular nurse is suitable for your practice, for example. 
• Communicate with candidates about interviews, follow-ups, unsuccessful applications, and more. Contact a prospective billing assistant to set up a phone interview, for example. 

Did you know that we at HR for Health monitor all the specific laws and regulations that affect your practice? If you have questions about compliance issues, please reach out to us. Schedule a call, call (877) 779-4747, or email compliance@hrforhealth.com now to learn more.