Locum tenens clinicians can be a short-term solution for doctor shortages, but CMOs must plan carefully how to use them.
Locum tenens physicians can plug short-term gaps in the physician workforce, but CMOs must be aware of both the cost and the effect on workplace culture.
There are about 50,000 locum tenens physicians working in the United States, says Joseph Sturdivant, MD, CMO of IMN Enterprises, a healthcare staffing company. With a clinician shortage nationwide, he notes, they're a popular solution to fill workforce gaps.
About 88% of the nation’s health systems used locum tenens clinicians in 2023, Sturdivant says, and half of them expect to use more in 2024.
Here are 5 facts about employing locum tenens clinicians that you need to know:
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Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The shortage of physicians in the United States is expected to worsen, with a shortfall as high as 86,000 doctors by 2036, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Locum tenens clinicians pose a financial challenge as premium labor, but the cost of employing them is offset by factors such as the ability to generate margin that comes from being fully staffed.
To make sure a locum tenens assignment is successful, healthcare organizations should have a robust onboarding process for locum tenens clinicians.