Why Healthcare Organizations are Turning to Locum Tenens

The healthcare landscape has been evolving. Facing an aging population, increased access to healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, and a growing physician shortage (an estimated 14,900 to 35,600 just in primary care by 2025), healthcare organizations have been looking for ways to increase efficiency and improve the bottom line, while servicing communities of every size. A growing trend: turning to locum tenens staffing solutions to both enhance care and boost profitability.

The Real Cost of Hiring

What is the real cost of hiring in today’s healthcare industry? By some estimates, it can be as high as $40,000 per physician position filled. When you factor in the time spent reviewing and interviewing applicants, plus the hidden costs such as placements that do not work out and high turnover, it’s no wonder that staffing is sometimes considered one of the most stressful aspects of running an effective organization.

Whether you have an HR team assisting with the process, or all of the hiring rests on your plate, locum tenens staffing can help speed the process and improve the outcome.

Why Hire Locums

Locum Tenens (Latin for “in the place of”) evolved first as temporary staffing solutions, particularly in rural areas. From those humble beginnings the field has grown into a booming industry, with more than 600,000 physicians working locum tenens at least some of the time. PA’s, NP’s and CRNA’s are also available through locum tenens agencies like NALTO.

Locum practitioners are also incredibly qualified. An estimated 85% of locum tenens physicians are board certified (as compared to 65% of all active U.S. staff physicians). Locum practitioners are often licensed in more than one state, and have practiced in a variety of settings, giving them an edge when it comes to the latest technologies as well as necessary adaptability for today’s healthcare environment.

Whether as an exclusive staffing resource or to supplement an internal staffing system, locums staffing:

  • Fills in for a temporary absence, such as illness, maternity leave, conferences or vacation
  • Supplements staff during busy times
  • Holds positions while a facility recruits permanent providers
  • Bridges the gap when retiring physicians decrease hours, smoothing an exit plan
  • Allows for temp-to-perm options

Whatever your needs, chances are a locum tenens solution can help you meet them.

Using a Locum Tenens Agency

While, of course, you can internally hire a practitioner on a locum basis, a full service locum tenens agency brings certain advantages to your recruitment and staffing needs. With thousands of qualified practitioners in our database and our own screening process, we can expedite getting the right clinician for your position. Licensing, credentialing and insuring are built-in to our services, with such needed data readily available.

Using locum tenens staffing solutions improves the outcome for healthcare organizations like yours.

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