Aya Healthcare & PS&D: Strengthening Physician Hiring Through Strategic Alignment

One partner for permanent physician placement & locums staffing 

It is no secret that healthcare organizations are struggling to hire physicians and advanced practitioners. Searches stay open for months. Recruitment teams are stretched thin. Organizations rely on rapid, temporary coverage just to keep doors open. Addressing these challenges requires a more thoughtful and coordinated physician recruiting strategies supported by experienced recruitment teams. 

Aya Healthcare and Provider Solutions & Development (PS&D) have aligned to create a unified approach to physician hiring by bringing together locums staffing services and permanent recruitment services under one strategic partnership. Aya delivers fast access to locum physicians and advanced practitioners through one of the largest digital marketplaces in the industry, supported by dedicated recruiters who actively source, vet and secure providers. PS&D brings deep expertise in permanent physician recruitment, offering a holistic approach to the physician recruitment process designed to help organizations hire providers who stay. 

Together, we provide both immediate coverage and long-term workforce stability through coordinated recruitment services, experienced search teams and technology that expands reach, supporting effective hospital physician recruitment across care settings.  

A stronger approach to permanent recruitment 

PS&D was built inside a large nonprofit health system to improve physician recruiting. Created to move beyond commission-driven recruiting, its model focuses on long-term fit and community impact rather than short-term placement volume. 

Through this partnership, healthcare organizations benefit from: 

• Recruiters who do not work on commission 
• Dedicated recruiting and sourcing support 
• Hiring plans built around each organization’s goals 
• National marketing and residency outreach to expand candidate pools 

 The results speak for themselves:

• 1,400+ permanent placements each year 
• Access to 92% of physicians, NPs and PAs nationwide 
• 23% higher retention rate than national AFM average 
• Top-decile partner and candidate satisfaction scores 

 “Physician recruitment is about relationships. It’s a people business. That has been key to our partnership with PS&D,” says Elise Cutter, CEO of Island Health.  

 Higher retention means fewer repeat searches, lower turnover costs and stronger continuity of care. The focus is long-term stability, not repeat searches, to align with strong physician recruitment and retention strategies. 

Flexible hiring support 

PS&D supports organizations ranging from single-site clinics to large, multi-state health systems, offering both project-based searches and more integrated recruitment partnerships for ongoing hiring needs.  

For teams managing higher hiring volumes, PS&D provides a dedicated recruiter who works as an extension of the internal team, helping oversee multiple searches, strengthen hiring processes and expand candidate outreach. 

Aya’s technology platforms, including DocCafe and its physician marketplace, expand visibility and accelerate access to qualified providers. For many organizations, technology enhances sourcing and speeds engagement. At the same time, filling highly specialized or hard-to-recruit roles often requires additional recruitment horsepower and hands-on search support. Through this alignment, organizations gain experienced recruiters who lead proactive outreach, manage candidate relationships and guide the full placement process from sourcing to signed contract. 

Stronger teams. Smarter hiring. Sustainable care. 

Every unfilled physician role impacts revenue, staff morale and patient access. By incorporating PS&D into Aya’s suite of digital tools and services, healthcare organizations gain a coordinated physician recruiting strategies that reduces vacancy time, lowers reliance on premium labor and builds provider teams that stay. 

One strategic relationship. Unified recruitment support. Coverage today and stability for the future.