How one facility filled a neurological specialty need with strategic staffing and lateral thinking.
The ongoing healthcare provider shortage is putting intense pressure on many medical specialties. There is high demand for clinicians with specific training and skillsets, and in many cases, new clinicians are entering the workforce at lower rates, making it impossible to simply replace certain providers. Neurology is no exception, with demand expected to exceed supply by 19% by 2025 and rural areas already suffering from a lack of access.
Challenge
Neurology remains a critical component of trauma care, but many facilities have struggled to properly staff their departments to meet their community’s needs. In the case of one Level IV trauma center in the Midwest U.S., the need for a neurologist who could handle Electromyography (EMG) and consultative services greatly impacted the care the hospital could provide patients. After the unexpected departure of a neurologist, the hospital spent the next six months trying to find a replacement. Failing to fill this position would disrupt patient coverage and cause patients to have to travel two hours away for EMG examinations and return for basic consultations. In a trauma setting, this is an unacceptable disruption.
Solution
With a shortage of neurologists available on the market and few traditional staffing options, the hospital took a different approach. LocumTenens.com developed an innovative solution that delivered the results the hospital needed, while utilizing available resources.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors possess the necessary expertise to read and interpret EMG results. So the LocumTenens.com representative proposed an alternative solution bringing in a PM&R doctor to take on this duty during the absence of any available neurologists.
By implementing this solution, the facility ensured patients' continuity of neurological care while continuing the search for a qualified, full-time neurologist.
Results
LocumTenens.com’s innovative solution yielded advantages for the client and their patients alike during a stark labor shortage in the neurology field:
- The client’s patient community experienced a smooth and seamless continuation of neurology services.
- The trauma center maintained its service offering for this medical specialty without interruption, and by leveraging available talent across other disciplines.
Conclusion
Despite the difficult realities of the neurologist labor market, LocumTenens.com was able to come up with an innovative solution to maintain a crucial care component for the client.
Looking Ahead
Staffing solutions must continue to adapt to an evolving landscape of healthcare, and healthcare organizations benefit greatly from having a strategic partner with a toolkit of innovative and strategic solutions in their belt.
See our staffing optimization solutions, or get in touch with a sales representative today to start talking through the details of your facility’s staffing needs, and LocumTenens.com can find the solution that’s right for you and the community you serve.