Better serving physicians through technology
Patient satisfaction has long been a buzz word in healthcare. We’re moving into an environment where health systems are not only worried about patient satisfaction but also clinician satisfaction. Health systems are investing in the clinician experience in an effort to stave off burnout, resignations and retirement. Technology provides a unique opportunity to address the clinician experience as hospital find new ways to address staffing challenges and patient access bottlenecks. At LocumTenens.com, we are investing in technology that has a tangible impact on physicians, allowing us to better serve them and improve their locum tenens experience.
Making a Difference: 3 Ways Locum Tenens Clinicians Meet Needs and Impact the World
Working in healthcare is about people. We put the needs of our patients first, ensuring they have the best care possible and are able to live fulfilling lives. Locum tenens work provides a unique opportunity to make a difference in the local community and world. I am humbled by the work that is done on a daily basis by LocumTenens.com clinicians. Here are three ways that we are making a difference and how you can join our efforts to impact the world around us.
Rural Health: A Single Strategy to Recruit and Retain Physicians
We’re seeing burnout in all sectors of the healthcare industry. It’s a problem that was rearing its ugly head even before COVID-19 expedited healthcare staffing challenges. At Locumtenens.com, we are looking for strategies to minimize physician burnout and stabilize staffing for hospitals across the country. One area we’ve turned our attention to—Rural Healthcare. Rural hospitals and providers face unique challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining talent.
Recruiting Physicians in Rural America
A new survey from Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com – both part of the Jackson Healthcare® family of companies – shows hope for rural healthcare organizations to make progress in resolving their physician staffing challenges.
3 Financial Considerations for Residents Interested in Working Locum Tenens
Choosing where and how you want to work after residency can be daunting. There are so many different factors to take into consideration, such as where you want to practice, how you want to practice, and how often you want to practice. A locum tenens model of employment is appealing because it gives you the flexibility to choose all three. However, there are unique financial considerations to take into consideration, too.
5 Reasons Why Gastroenterologists Are Working Locum Tenens
Many highly-specialized areas of medicine are experiencing the impact of the physician shortage, and this is especially true for gastroenterology. Gastroenterologists require many years of training, and there aren’t many graduating right now. Programs can only bring in so many fellows at a time, so many only have two to three gastroenterologists on board, which only exacerbates the issue.
Strategy, Scheduling & Flexibility: Moving the Needle for OB-GYN Staffing
Whether in a group practice or a hospital, staffing challenges mean physicians are struggling to keep up with the growing patient volume. We’re seeing it across the country, as facilities face staffing shortages for both physicians and advanced practice professionals (APPs), especially in the OB-GYN sector.
Black History Month 2022
I'd like to spotlight four Black Americans who are changing the future of medicine today. Black History Month is a celebration of the innumerable contributions Black Americans have made throughout the years and the contributions Black Americans are continuing to make in medicine that benefits us all.
3 Strategies to Avoid Physician and APP Staffing Shortages: Part III
In part III, we explore the key differences between permanent and temporary physician and APP recruiting firms and how both can play a key role in an effective recruiting strategy.
3 Strategies to Avoid Physician and APP Staffing Shortages: Part II
In part II, we explore the benefits and challenges associated with online healthcare job boards and data-driven databases.
3 Strategies to Avoid Physician and APP Staffing Shortages: Part I
Anyone who has worked in healthcare recruiting knows hiring a physician is a complicated process. In part I of 3 Strategies to Avoid Staffing Shortages, LocumTenens.com Vice President of Primary Care Alan Ashby explores why exactly physician and advanced practice recruiting takes so long and offers resources your healthcare facility can utilize to ensure an effective staffing strategy.
3 Healthcare Staffing Trends for 2022
2022 is picking up right where 2021 left off. At this point, we’ve used the word “unprecedented” so often that it has little meaning. At times, the path forward seems murky but amid difficulty there is opportunity. At LocumTenens.com, we are in a unique position. With clients across the country, we see the whole picture. The challenges. The solutions. Every healthcare organization is unique, but they all face similar questions going forward. 2022 will, in many ways, be defined by staffing.
Closing Gaps in Access to Mental Healthcare: Lessons from a Rural, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Part III
What advice would you share with someone who is considering working a forensic psychiatric assignment? What about a rural assignment? "Try it. Just try it."
Closing Gaps in Access to Mental Healthcare: Lessons from a Rural, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Part II
What have the COVID protocols and PPE supply been like? "The PPE supply has always been in abundance at this facility, and I’ve never felt the COVID protocols have been lacking. In fact, I wanted to be vaccinated before beginning this assignment because I was fearful of catching COVID, but I’ve always felt as though the facility was on top of it and have always felt safe here. We have different “levels” of outbreak status reported by the office manager, we’ve never had to reuse N95 masks and there’s a temperature and symptoms check before entering the facility."
Closing Gaps in Access to Mental Healthcare: Lessons from a Rural, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Part I
According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 10-25% of prisoners in the U.S. suffer from a serious mental illness. That’s more than double the rate of the general population. Monique Manderson, PMHNP, is a LocumTenens.com mental health nurse practitioner who is on assignment at a rural, forensic facility.
Nurse Practitioner Salaries on the Rise
Health care facilities across the country are paying higher rates to employ nurse practitioners (NPs). What’s changed, and how can health care facilities ensure they remain competitive and prepared? Demand for NPs is at an all-time high, and it’s not simply due to the pandemic. The U.S. is facing a tremendous physician shortage, and NPs are some of the clinicians who step in to fill gaps and ensure patients are receiving the care and treatment they need. The physician shortage, coupled with many nurses choosing to leave health care, have placed NPs in a position to negotiate higher salaries.
Indian Health Service Q&A with Dr. Lee
Indian Health Service (IHS) is a federal program for American Indians and Alaska Natives with a mission of raising “the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.” Locum tenens clinicians who work IHS assignments find fulfillment in serving Indigenous patients and helping IHS achieve its vision of “healthy communities and quality health care systems through strong partnerships and culturally responsive practices.”
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day: My Journey to Palliative Care
According to Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is an annual, unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world. This year, World Hospice and Palliative Care Day falls on October 9th, 2021, and the theme is "Leave no-one behind - equity in access to palliative care."
How Working Locum Tenens Can Provide Job Security
After experiencing furloughs and layoffs due to the pandemic, more clinicians are choosing full-time locum tenens work. Healthcare industry trends have been rapidly shifting and evolving since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and so are physicians’ and advanced practitioners’ perspectives when it comes to the model of employment they choose to pursue.
Atlanta Business Radio Interview with Chris Franklin
Chris Franklin, president of LocumTenens.com, chatted with Atlanta Business Radio host Lee Cantor about the locum tenens industry, how it has been impacted by COVID-19 and what the anticipates for the future of healthcare as a whole.
Physician Shortage
Is your organization prepared? Healthcare organizations are not immune to the shortage of workers available due to the pandemic the rest of American businesses are facing. As the COVID cases continue to rise and we approach flu season, it’s more imperative than ever we are prepared to care for patients.
A Collection of Stories from Life Behind Bars
When I began working with a LocumTenens.com recruiter to find the right assignment, I wasn’t sure I would be able to embrace working in a prison. I am grateful that I gave it a chance. I hope by sharing a few of my patient experiences, you will be encouraged to give it a try, too.
Urology Census Snapshot
The American Urological Association (AUA) recently published its 7th annual State of the Urology Workforce and Practice in the United States Report. The purpose of these annual census reports is to address the lack of information about urologists. Highlights from the 2020 AUA census complement findings...
Continuing Medical Education
With more people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, many people are feeling more comfortable attending activities in person, and continuing medical education (CME) activities are no exception. During the pandemic, those who used to prefer participating in live meetings or attending conferences to receive their CME credits had to adapt and find alternatives.
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month 2021
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The reasons why are complex, but minorities often face poorer mental and behavioral health outcomes than those within majority communities, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.
What is the future of telemedicine and telehealth legislation?
Telemedicine systems integrate cameras, displays, peripheral devices and network access to enable multiple medical specialties to deliver an exceptional level of care. Now that so many patients have experienced its quality and convenience firsthand due to the pandemic, state legislators recognize the value that telehealth services deliver.
Juneteenth 2021
Juneteenth (a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth”) is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Cel-Liberation Day. Juneteenth is not (yet!) a federal holiday – a bill making it a federal holiday was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, June 15th, 2021 and still needs House approval and Presidential signature...
National Cancer Survivor Month 2021
June is National Cancer Survivor Month. The number of cancer survivors living in the U.S. is expected to grow to more than 22 million by 2030. National Cancer Survivor Month is a time to celebrate those who have battled cancer and those who are still receiving cancer treatment.
Cataract Awareness Month
June is Cataract Awareness Month. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to speaking with patients about cataract care, practicing in rural communities and practicing via telehealth. Ophthalmologists know cataracts are easy to treat through surgical intervention, yet it’s the leading cause of blindness both in the U.S. and the world.
The Future of Doctorate Titles for CRNAs
By 2025, all new CRNAs will need to have obtained their doctorate. What does this mean for you and your practice? Amid the increased demand for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), what’s required to pursue this career path is changing.
Corrections Q&A featuring Dr. Curl
Have you ever considered working a locum tenens assignment at a corrections facility? Dr. MaryAnn Curl has been working as a locum tenens clinician at correctional facilities for almost a year. In the following interview, she shares her experiences.
National Lyme Disease Awareness Month 2021
Estimates suggest as few as 7% of cases of Lyme disease are reported each year, making awareness among the public and clinicians critical. May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
Mental Health Awareness Month 2021
This year’s theme is “You Are Not Alone.” Mental health and mental health awareness have taken on a greater significance during the pandemic. With most people in the U.S. spending the better part of the last year...
The Future of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
Many states realize the value of accessible interstate licensing during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated states getting physicians to hospitals as quickly as possible to help patients and assist full-time, permanent staff.
Nurses Month 2021: Nurses Make a Difference
Did you know the world would need 9 million more nurses and midwives to achieve universal coverage within the next decade? Nurses play an integral role in patient care, and LocumTenens.com is so appreciative of our...
Are your patients vaccine hesitant?
Naturally, some patients are hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Whether it’s because the vaccines are fairly new or because of other personal reasons, a lot of people have questions and concerns, despite the vaccines currently provided being deemed safe by the FDA.
Surgical Backlogs Due to the Pandemic: Opportunities for Locum Tenens Anesthesiologists and CRNAs
The cancelation of elective procedures early in the pandemic, while arguably necessary in many instances to preserve resources and handle an influx of COVID patients, led to other issues that are still affecting patients, healthcare facilities and their clinicians.
5 Considerations for Healthcare Facilities as More Patients Become Vaccinated
The United States reached a milestone: over 100 million people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. With more and more people becoming vaccinated, more patients are likely to seek...
White House says April 11-17 Black Maternal Health Week
In the United States, black female patients are more than three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related issues than white patients, and this gap has only been increasing over the past few decades.
How locum tenens staffing solutions can bolster the telemedicine trend
Flexibility, exceptional quality of care and versatility are just a few of the characteristics locum tenens and telehealth have in common.
5 Reasons to Work Government-Contracted Locum Tenens Assignments
When most people think of locum tenens assignments, they tend to think of assignments at smaller private practices or with larger healthcare organizations and hospital networks.
The Role of Locum Tenens During the COVID-19 Pandemic
A reflection on how locum tenens clinicians demonstrated their value during a time of crisis and beyond At the beginning of the pandemic, healthcare organizations across the country had the daunting task...
Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from a locum tenens clinician’s perspective
More than 15 million people in the U.S. have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (at the time this article was written) and this number will continue to grow every day, with approximately 1.5 million doses being administered...
Physician and Advanced Practice Onboarding:
The COVID-19 crisis has revealed just how quickly clinicians, healthcare organizations and agencies can pivot to serve patient populations in need. How has the change of pace affected the physician and advanced practitioner onboarding process?
5 Reasons to Work Locum Tenens after Residency
The transition from residency to a full-time career can be overwhelming, but working locum tenens can help make the transition smoother. Traditionally, locum tenens work has been thought of as a way to fill gaps...
Why I Practice Telehealth
For a lot of providers, the first thing that comes to mind when they think about the benefits of practicing telemedicine is how it allows them to provide care to patients who couldn’t otherwise access it. For some...
Current State of the Healthcare Industry
LocumTenens.com recently released its 2020 Physician and Advanced Practice Salary Report. The report also details clinicians’ experiences with COVID-19 so far, what they expect this winter and more.
5 Medical Apps for Physicians and Advanced Practitioners
There’s an app for almost everything, and that’s also true when it comes to apps benefitting physicians and advanced practitioners. While most medical apps house similar information and tools, there’s something unique...
Tackling Burnout through Telemedicine
Healthcare administrators have typically been quick to recognize telemedicine as a highly effective solution to providing their patients with increased access to specialized care. The American Telehealth Association states that...
The New Crisis Affecting Primary Care
With many patients feeling more comfortable resuming in-office appointments, some are facing another issue: loss of health insurance. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to now, the way Americans approach preventive healthcare has fluctuated...
Top 5 pieces of advice for physician recruiters
I’ve been a physician recruiter for nearly twenty years, and the most important thing I’ve learned during that time is that as a physician recruiter, you never stop learning. There’s no handbook for physician recruiting best practices...
Why I chose locum tenens as a career
I’ve been a vascular surgeon for the past sixteen years, and I’ve trained and practiced in a wide variety of environments, including academia, military medicine and a small private practice. Although I’ve always been passionate about my work, I realized several years ago I wasn’t quite happy because I felt out of touch with my patients and the communities where I served...
How has COVID-19 affected emergency departments and what’s in store for the future?
LocumTenens.com recently conducted a survey about the effects of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry, with almost 1,000 respondents sharing their experiences with us.
Telemedicine: (Not Quite) the New Normal
It goes without saying that 2020 has been a difficult year for almost everyone. From health anxieties and fears of survival, to the isolation and loneliness brought about by quarantine, these issues have only been compounded by financial concerns and job insecurity.
Preparing for the Next Crisis: Mental Health
Some physicians and advanced practitioners have likened the experience of serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis to fighting in a war zone, and they’re not wrong. It’s taken a tremendous toll on their physical well being.
Billing Tips for Locum Tenens Physicians
We're often asked about working with payers to bill for services provided by locum tenens physicians. There are a few rules of which to be aware, and we’ve attempted to simplify them for you through the advice of billing experts at ARMCO Partners.
Physicians: Make your vacation pay double
According to a 2019 LocumTenens.com survey, physicians in all specialties left a combined average of 4.24 paid vacation days on the table in 2018. How much money did physicians in your specialty leave on the table in 2018?
Advanced Practitioners: Make your vacation pay double
According to a 2019 LocumTenens.com survey, advanced practitioners in all specialties left a combined average of 4.82 paid vacation days on the table in 2018. How much money did clinicians in your specialty leave?
I Just Finished Residency. Is Locum Tenens for Me?
Locum tenens work is not just for the semi-retired or the in-between-jobs physician. It is a great way for new physicians to start their careers.
Top 10 Reasons to Work Locum Tenens
Wondering if locum tenens work is right for you? Whether you are a resident, mid-career physician, close-to retiring or semi-retired physician, locum tenens could be a perfect fit for you, enabling you to work as little or as much as you want.
6 Tips to Improve Your Onboarding for Locum Tenens Physicians
The orientation process is one of the most valuable aspects for a locum tenens physician starting an assignment at a facility
The Geriatrician: A Secret to Cost Savings
Every 8 seconds someone turns 65. The baby boomers are retiring and racking up more healthcare costs every day.
Adventures in Locum Tenens Work
One of the great things about locum tenens work is that you get to see new places and meet new amazing people. Dr. Roxanne Richards has been working in Nome, Alaska and traveling to remote villages to expand access to healthcare. Take a look at this SlideShare to read about her experience.
America's Mental Health Access Crisis
Every year, as part of LocumTenens.com’s largest survey of physicians and advanced practitioners, we ask a series of questions about one particular healthcare topic for our Your Voice Matters section.
Perspectives on Quality: 2015 Annual Report
In late 2014, LocumTenens.com surveyed its physician database to find out their perspectives on quality, focusing on new quality improvement and value-based reimbursement initiatives.
If You Had to Do It Over Again, Would You Still Choose Your Current Healthcare Career?
In 2013 and 2014, LocumTenens.com asked physicians and advanced practitioners about their satisfaction with their career choices and if they would have done anything different if given the chance.
Telemedicine: Overcoming Barriers, Realizing Benefits
LocumTenens.com surveyed clients about telemedicine, including the benefits and barriers, and asked about their current or future use of telemedicine as part of their healthcare strategy.
Immigration Prescription for Locum Tenens Placement of Foreign National Doctors
With physician shortages, medical facilities face intense competition for a limited supply for physicians for both permanent and short-term locum tenens placement. The challenges can be even greater for those...
Worst Case Scenario Job Search Survival Guide for Residents
Are you starting your last year of residency? Ready to get your job search started? Take a look at our Worst Case Scenario Job Search Survival Guide for Residents to get your search organized.
Accountable to Whom? Physicians Weigh in on Value-based Care
LocumTenens.com has released a report on a survey of physician familiarity and comfort level with accountable care payment models. Physicians were most familiar and comfortable with pay-for-performance and least...
Radiology Retrospective: A Decade of Change
LocumTenens.com is pleased to present a first of its kind publication on the last decade in the field of radiology. The first ten years of the twenty-first century brought sweeping changes to the field of radiology.
Vox Medici: Speaking out about Medicare
This ebook captures physician sentiments about the current and future state of Medicare. Physicians share the profitability of their Medicare cases and talk about their ideas for making the program better.
Vox Medici: Profiles in Medicine
In this issue of Vox Medici, we have profiled doctors whose stories have inspired us. These tales of courage and personal triumph are just a few of so many examples that we hear about every day.
Vox Medici: Why We Chose this Career
The first installment of Vox Medici focuses on a simple question: why did you decide to become a doctor? The doctors we asked this of gave poignant, funny and inspiring answers. Their stories, in their own words...
