Why Use Locum Tenens Providers

Continuity of Care is Key

When asked why they utilize locum tenens providers, each organization representative’s long answer is different. Maybe it’s because their facility is opening a new unit, or maybe it’s because there is a high-volume of providers planning summer or winter vacations. Whatever the long answer is, the short answer is always the same: we need to provide continuity of quality care to our community.

If you’re reading this, you likely don’t need to be convinced of the benefits of hiring locum tenens providers, but you might be wrestling with some of the concerns that one might face when making the decision to move forward with a locum tenens partner.

How will a provider just be able to drop into a new organization and work efficiently? How can I pay so much for a locum tenens provider? Why can’t that locum tenens provider find a full-time job? All these fears are based in unverified myths about locum tenens providers. Below, we address the top three locum tenens myths.

Top 3 Locum Tenens Myths

1. It’s too expensive.

Comparing permanent staff to locum tenens providers is like comparing apples and oranges. While hourly rates for a locum tenens physician, nurse practitioner or PA might be slightly higher, you need to factor in the cost of finding and placing a permanent staff provider, their benefit package, and the opportunity cost incurred—like revenue from ancillary services—when your organization diverts patients away as a result of provider shortages. When you look at the big picture, providing continuity of care by utilizing locum tenens providers is an asset to an organization. In addition, facilities may not be aware of how they can bill for locum tenens services, and the billable fees collected for these services will adequately offset and/or cover the costs.

2. Locum tenens providers aren’t very good providers.

We can’t—we can’t!—stress this enough: The providers that Integrity Healthcare Staffing Solutions partners with are highly-vetted, extensively credentialed individuals. With the rise of the gig economy, more and more healthcare providers are turning to locum tenens to provide the work-life balance they desire. In other words, locum tenens providers are choosing the locums life, not because they’re not good enough to find a permanent job, but because it provides them the balance they desire. On the other hand, we also work with providers who love what they do, want to learn more from a more diverse experience or simply want to earn a little extra money. There are various reasons a provider will choose to accept a locum tenens job but rest assured that we do our due diligence to ensure we’re only sending you the quality providers.

3. Locum tenens providers take longer to train or are less efficient than a permanent staff provider.

Though we can understand the thought process in this myth, our experience tells us this is simply not true. Most locum tenens providers have been in the game for a while, meaning they’re seasoned at coming into unfamiliar environments and picking up processes in a pinch. Additionally, the professional characteristics that make a great provider—confidence, intelligence, adaptiveness—are typical in locum tenens providers. In fact, most patients can’t tell you whether they’re being treated by a locum tenens provider or a member of your permanent staff.

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