The challenge for medical practice managers facing a vacancy of physicians or advanced practitioners right now is arguably more difficult than the same battle faced by their counterparts with ties to larger healthcare delivery systems.

Major hospitals, regional medical facilities, networks comprised of multiple clinics, and practices employed by the like have more resources at their disposal when approaching this issue. Corporate healthcare hiring managers have more provider bandwidth in the event of turnover, more time to react, deeper pockets for prolonged searches, in-house recruiters at their disposal, and access to a number of other resources that are more applicable to an organization of their size.

The healthcare field is growing rapidly. The demands on all facets of the industry have increased with this marked growth. Full-time physicians and advanced practitioners, as well as Locum Tenens professionals, are providing great benefits to patients and healthcare facilities across the United States. Arranging these unions between providers and facilities, however, is left in the expert hands of healthcare recruiters. While this position can be exciting, fulfilling, and lucrative, it also has the potential for burnout. Fortunately, healthcare recruiters have the ability to manage their stressors, using a few simple techniques.

The Stressors of Healthcare Recruiting

Every recruiter knows the term “KPI.” Recruiters know that they must meet or exceed these standards in order to become successful in their field. While this challenge can be exciting and can incite healthy competition, it can also be quite stressful. Often, this means making countless phone calls, managing client needs, and creating harmonious provider/facility matches, among other necessary duties.

Last August, the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO) celebrated the first-ever National Locum Tenens Week. The healthcare staffing industry is doing so again this week, and it’s an opportunity to thank locum tenens providers for their dedication to serving millions of patients at medical facilities every day in this country.

As many as 50,000 doctors, more than 5 percent of the physician workforce, practice medicine as a locum tenens doctor in more than 90 percent of our healthcare facilities to provide care for an estimated 7.5 million Americans every year, according to a recent report.

Physician burnout is a real and growing problem. As healthcare providers begin 2018, instead of just focusing on physical health resolutions like eating healthier or working out more, many of their colleagues suggest focusing on improving mental health, specifically reducing stress in the workplace.

LocumTenens.com recently surveyed physicians and advanced practitioners for their opinions on mental health in their work environment. Out of 2,438 clinicians who responded to the question “how much stress do you face in the workplace,” the majority of physicians answered “a lot of stress” while almost all advanced practitioners were split between “a lot” or “a little” stress.

As we pass the midway point of 2017, the demand for locum tenens staffing continues to trend upward.

The need for locum tenens remains driven in part by the shortage of full-time providers. Meanwhile, our industry is also experiencing an influx of new in-house recruiters constantly challenged with maximizing their facility’s revenue stream by adjusting to a mix of permanent and contract providers.

The key to avoiding practice turnover and retaining today's medical providers is to focus on their overall job satisfaction from day one. Keeping a pulse on the health and well-being of your staff to look for early signs of burnout, and paying close attention to the concerns of their loved ones outside your practice are vital.

Top Reasons for Turnover

The use of locum tenens physicians and advanced practitioners has risen to become the predominant staffing solution for our nation’s ongoing shortage of providers and increased demand for care.

I’ve blogged in the past about the doctor shortage. It’s a familiar issue we’ve been facing for decades now. However, there are some additional challenges that have surfaced in recent years that are also driving the need for locum tenens.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2017

National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations^® (NALTO^®) Announces Stacey Stanley as President, New Members to Board of Directors