What is Locum Tenens?
Taken from the Latin "to hold the place of, to substitute for" locum
tenens means, in layman's terms, a temporary physician. In short, locum
tenens physicians contract with a staffing company to perform medical
services for a healthcare organization for a specified length of time.
Physicians are paid by the staffing firm itself who is then paid by the
healthcare facility; the client.
Locum tenens work benefits both physicians and hospitals/healthcare
organizations. In using locum tenens, the staffing needs of healthcare
facilities are met while physicians gain flexibility in their schedules
and professional experience in multiple practice settings. The twenty
plus-year old industry continues to grow as more and more physicians
choose this way of practicing medicine and healthcare organizations
continue to learn the value of locum tenens staffing.
Why do physicians choose to do Locum Tenens?
Physicians choose locum tenens work for a variety of reasons and at
various points in their careers. For example, it is an especially
appealing option for new physicians just out of residency training. It
provides them with the opportunity to sample different practices and
areas of the country before making a long-term commitment in any one
spot. While medical schools and residency programs teach the art of
practicing medicine, new physicians frequently emerge from training
without knowing just what style of practice will suit them best. In
fact, research has shown that an alarming number of new physicians are
unhappy with their first practice setting. With locum tenens, there's no
pressure to hurry and decide anything permanent. And there are no
immediate financial burdens such as "buying in" to a practice or
permanently locating to the wrong place. You can even use a locum tenens
assignment to try out a specific practice opportunity before making a
permanent commitment.
Locum tenens is also the choice of many seasoned physicians who are not
ready to retire, but want to scale down the rigors and administrative
hassles of full-time practice. These physicians enjoy the chance to keep
more reasonable hours and combine work with travel and time spent with
family and friends. Still, other physicians choose locum tenens work in
mid-career as a way to find the right position in a new area, or while
they are in professional transition, such as from military to civilian
practice or while in the process of starting their own business.
Why do clients use Locum Tenens physicians?
Clients requesting locum tenens coverage range from rural solo physician
practices to the country's major health systems and managed care
organizations. These clients have found that supplemental healthcare
professionals are needed for a variety of reasons: to fill in for an
absent staff member (who may be ill, on vacation, on maternity leave or
sabbatical), to cover while physicians attend CME courses, to supplement
regular staff during busy times, or to staff new facilities while
permanent providers are recruited. Many healthcare facilities across the
country use locum tenens as an integral part of their master staffing
plan. In many cases it is cheaper and more efficient to staff at a
minimum level and use locum tenens to supplement the permanent staff,
rather than always trying to staff at the maximum level and having many
periods of time when the staff is not fully utilized.
What should I look for in a Locum Tenens company?
When choosing a staffing company, physicians and clients should look for
the same qualities in a firm. From the staffing firm's perspective, the
industry is a two way street, meaning that both physicians and clients
must be provided with the services they need in order for the company to
succeed. To help you evaluate different firms and choose one that you
can feel comfortable working with, here are some guidelines to follow:
-
Does the company provide malpractice
insurance for the physicians they place; are they concerned with whether
the client has coverage?
-
What is the company's payroll history; do
they have the financial resources to pay their physicians regularly?
-
Does the company offer the services
necessary to ensure all details are taken care of when the physician
arrives to work, i.e., licensing, credentialing, hospital privileges,
proper physician travel and housing arrangements?
In addition to these guidelines, the firm
you choose should place a high priority on quality service. This means:
a professional staff to provide with you personal attention;
comprehensive service offerings such as payroll, travel and housing
departments; qualified physicians who meet strict credentialing
standards; and most importantly, enough assignments for doctors to
choose from and enough doctors for clients to choose from.
How much will I make as a Locum Tenens physician?
As with permanent positions, there is a great deal of variance in
compensation based on the specific medical specialty as well as the
location of each job. Most locum tenens companies pay their physicians a
daily or hourly rate for time worked, as well as covering travel and
housing expenses, malpractice insurance and licensing costs. The real
benefit to locum tenens work is that you get to travel, have flexibility
regarding when and where you work, and earn a fair wage.
