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Locum Tenens Growth

Locum Tenens Growth

More than 94% of US healthcare facilities reported using locum tenens physicians each year and more than 50,000 physicians work locum tenens assignments each year. Between high rates of physician burnout, physician shortages and the move to value-based care reimbursement structures, facilities can’t afford to have physician vacancies.

Why Locum Tenens Is Needed?

High Rates of Physician Burnout
High Rates of Physician Burnout

Studies have shown that physician burnout results in substantial professional and institutional problems. Physicians suffering from burnout often depersonalize their patients, leading to poor bedside manner, lack of compassion, and difficulty connecting with patients. Patients treated by burnt-out physicians are substantially less satisfied than patients treated by healthy peers.

Locum tenens providers can immediately reduce the workload on staff physicians and oftentimes accept less desirable rotations or call shifts, relieving existing staff.

Locum tenens providers can also step in to fully cover for a physician who needs a vacation, but has been unable to take one due to coverage needs.
Physician Shortages
Physician Shortages

When considering the future staffing needs of your healthcare facility, it’s important to understand and keep on top of industry trends so you are not left short-handed.

A survey conducted by the Physicians Foundation found that almost half of physicians plan to retire sooner than originally planned, and 21.4% of physicians plan to cut back on hours in the next 3 years.

Hiring locum tenens providers is a great way to ensure that your facility is able to take care of both staff and patients by providing a positive experience for all to prevent physician burnout and promote positive patient care and interactions.

The move to value-based care reimbursement structures

Everyone likes being rewarded for a job well done — including physicians. Healthgrades and Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) analyzes around 7 million patient reviews and comments by Healthgrade visitors. What they found changes the way physicians interact with their patients.

They found that 52% of patients cared that their doctor had non-clinical factors like:

  • Compassion
  • Comfort
  • Patience
  • Personality
  • Bedside Manner

These factors greatly influence patient satisfaction results. To help physicians provide the best care to their patients, many facilities are implementing value based care reimbursement structures. This reimbursement model focuses on the quality of care rather than quantity.

Locum tenens providers can help ensure positive patient interactions by bringing fresh energy to facilities with burnt-out or short-handed staff. These providers can spend more time with patients and help keep patients from feeling rushed during an appointment.

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