The History of Locum Tenens*
Who: Therus Kolff, MD, MPH (founder of Comprehensive Healthcare Systems,
Inc., now CompHealth) and Alan Kronhaus, MD (founder of Kron Medical) are often
called the pioneers of the locum tenens industry,
Where: Kolff and Kronhaus first met at the University of Utah. At the
time both were involved with the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), a
nonprofit organization formed by the Intermountain Regional Medical Program,
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the University of Utah.
What: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided HSRI with a grant for a
demonstration project aimed at helping rural communities draw physicians to
their underserved areas. The concept was to provide support services that would
make practicing medicine in a rural area more attractive to physicians so they
would consider relocating.
HSRI concluded that in order for a physician from a metropolitan area to
consider relocating to a rural setting, he had to be assured he would be able
to schedule time off for a break once in a while. HRSI's solution was to create
a group practice of physicians who were willing to work short-term assignments
to cover nearby rural practices when needed.
When: The roots of the Locum Tenens industry began during the 1970s when
the grant was given to HSRI.
How: Eventually HRSI gave Kronhaus the latitude to establish a
stand-alone service that would provide short-term physician coverage for
communities not already receiving coverage from HSRI. The group started with a
few physicians who were willing to work short-term internal medicine or family
practice assignments periodically through the year in return for having time
off in between jobs. Within the year the group was expanding to include other
specialties and serve facilities nationwide.
Today: Over the last 30 years many locum tenens staffing companies have
entered the market, the majority of them with roots that can be traced back to
one of these pioneering health care firms. Today more than 25 companies
comprise the $2-billion locum tenens industry, providing temporary physicians
to fill short- and long-term gaps in physician coverage for almost every
medical specialty.
* "Locum tenens" is a Latin phrase that means "to hold the place of, to
substitute for," or in layman's terms: a temporary physician.
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