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4 in 10 Healthcare Organizations Seek Locum Tenens
Owens says the costs of any particular locum tenens physician will vary depending upon the specialty, the need, and the geographic areas. "But oftentimes hospitals are able to capture all of the expenses by billing for third-party billers, Medicare, Medicaid, or private pay," she says. "So, the expense would come in sometimes with the travel and hotel costs of putting up a temporary person. But by and large they are able to recuperate through reimbursements the fees they charge for locums."
Owens says the number of locum tenens physicians in the United States has grown in recent years because many physicians find the temporary work satisfying.
"More and more physicians are looking for a different lifestyle that locums provides," she says. "If we look back just five or six years ago there were probably about 26,000 locums. Now we are estimating there are about 38,000. You think about the demands of the practice environment and doctors are trying to find more flexibility for their schedules first of all. Secondarily, they want to avoid the politics that exist in hospitals nowadays. They get to keep their hand in medicine, and not in the business of medicine."
John Commins is a senior editor with HealthLeaders Media.
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Comments are moderated. Please be patient.
J. Sterling (5/16/2012 at 8:21 AM)
This is true about locums, but there are hospitals and other institutions who cannot retain personnel due to poor benefit and salary packages. Also, there are backward and outdated administrative policies in play. Including Administrators who treat their out of the way Critical Access Hospitals as their personal fifedoms which when locums are finally approached turn down the permanent positions.
Ben Amirault (5/15/2012 at 8:24 AM)
Great article. It's true. More and more organizations are turning to locums, and they aren't always hospitals. Our account managers at Barton Associates are seeing increased activity from companies that are not traditional locum tenens clients. The assignments range from a two-day job performing hernia exams at oil rig sites to staffing the medical tent at a cancer walk. Read more at http://www.bartonassociates.com/2012/05/14/locum-tenens-staffing-its-not-just-for-hospitals-and-clinics-anymore/