Each year, CHG Healthcare shares a comprehensive look at temporary physician staffing, from who today’s locums are to how healthcare systems are adapting their strategies.
This year’s report is no exception. It’s data-rich, wide-ranging… and not exactly a quick read. We know you may not have time to comb through the whole thing, so we’ve broken down 10 trends every healthcare staffing leader should have on their radar, from VMS adoption and APP demand to ROI metrics and burnout relief.
Whether you’re looking to inform next year’s staffing strategy or just want a snapshot of where the industry is headed, here’s your executive summary of CHG’s 2025 State of Locum Tenens Report.
Table of Contents
1. Facilities Are Planning for Locums Long-Term
Workforce coverage is still the top reason facilities turn to locum tenens, but it’s no longer the only reason. In 2024, 67% of organizations cited backfilling gaps as their primary use case, down from 82% in 2023.
At the same time, 81% of healthcare facilities used more locums than expected last year, a sign that locum use is becoming routine rather than reactive. Factor in a steady 10% physician turnover rate, just 2% of doctors actively seeking jobs, and a 129-day average time-to-fill, and the math speaks for itself: permanent pipelines alone aren’t enough.
Locums are no longer just a bridge but part of healthcare facilities’ long-term staffing strategy. As a partner, you can add value by helping organizations shift from gap-filling to proactive workforce planning. With 80% of organizations planning to maintain or increase locum use in 2025, now’s the time to make that pivot.
2. VMS Platforms Are Making a Big Impact
One of the most-discussed innovations in staffing technology has been the widespread adoption of vendor‑management system (VMS) platforms. Over half (53%) of medical systems now use one, and 20% of those who don’t are actively considering it.
Why are so many health systems switching? The main motivations are supplier and candidate selection efficiency, improved visibility and reporting, reduced placement timelines, and better pricing. For users of the platform Locumsmart, the median time to first bid dropped by over an hour in the first year, and the median time-to-fill lowered by nearly a full day.
Beyond VMS, staffing firms’ integrated platforms are helping organizations streamline locum workflows without major implementation. These solutions reduce reliance on manual workflows and email‑based coordination, which can bring staffing timelines to a crawl.
Staffing leaders should take notice: Fragmented systems won’t cut it anymore. Health systems want provider information consolidated in one place to improve efficiency, whether via a VMS, a staffing firm with an integrated platform, or both.
3. ROI Is Clear When Locums Are Optimized
Despite ongoing concerns about cost (63% of leaders cite it as their primary concern when using locum tenens), data shows that strategic locum use can deliver surprising ROI. Revenue-loss protection is an obvious way for locums to add value, and 46% of organizations identify it as a benefit. But beyond preventing losses, locum physicians can generate net-new revenue when they are consistently and completely enrolled with payers.
For example, the average locum physician generates nearly six times the return on investment, and some health systems realize returns of more than eight times.
Staffing leaders can lead by showing how locums can make facilities more efficient, including using APPs when able and centralizing vendor relationships. This allows for tighter control over spending and reallocation of resources to maximize efficiency.
4. Today’s Locum Is Diverse, Local, and Committed
Forget the outdated image of locums as near-retirement physicians flying cross-country. Locum professionals are increasingly aligning with the general physician workforce. For example, a majority (56%) of locum physicians began within 10 years of entering the field. Meanwhile, the average provider has six years of locum experience, and 15% have 10 years or more, showing these careers are more sustainable than many assume.
On top of that, 58% of locums serve in their own communities rather than travelling nationally, and 73% work in suburban or urban areas. If healthcare organizations still assume locum physicians are flying in from elsewhere to fill a rural shift, it’s up to staffing organizations to adjust that mindset.
5. Burnout Relief Is No Longer a Bonus. It’s a Priority
Physician burnout remains a persistent challenge, and it poses a financial risk to healthcare institutions. With provider turnover so high and so few physicians actively looking for work, anything that pushes physicians away is a liability.
Fortunately, locum tenens can address fatigue from two sides. First, locum providers can cover during busy seasons when patient volumes exceed permanent staff capacity. One in four facilities now use locums strategically to reduce workload and prevent attrition. Second, locum work can reduce burnout, with 43% of physicians reporting improved symptoms after locum assignments.
With chronic workplace stress driving both supply and demand, staffing leaders should emphasize burnout relief as a strategic value proposition for healthcare organizations, not just a bonus benefit.
6. Supplementing Income with Locums Is Becoming More Necessary (and Common)
Physician income may be high, but it isn’t immune to economic strain. According to an AMA study, physician compensation is down 33% from a generation ago when adjusted for inflation. In 2025, 45% of physicians expressed serious concern about their financial futures; 64% are more worried than they were last year.
Locum roles play a pivotal part in how physicians respond to economic uncertainty: about 15% plan to supplement their income with locum assignments, while 8% intend to switch from permanent employment to full‑time locum work. Of those already working locums, 48% plan to work more days.
As economic anxiety grows, healthcare staffing leaders should keep an eye on changes in provider compensation sentiment and financial concerns. Increased uncertainty could be an early indicator of a growing talent pool.
7. APPs (Especially CRNAs) Are the Fastest‑Growing Locum Segment
The role of locum APPs remains small for now, but it’s rapidly evolving. In 2020, locum APP usage was around 1%. By 2024, it climbed to 8%, and now they make up roughly 15% of total locum tenens providers.
Among locum APPs, CRNAs represent the largest share. CRNA demand is up 55% year over year, and they are the most requested specialty for Locumsmart. Meanwhile, 31% of locum APPs are CRNAs, showing how popular the locum model has become in this specialty.
With APPs projected to be the majority of primary care providers nationwide by 2031, staffing leaders must include APPs, particularly CRNAs, as a core part of their recruiting strategy. Early adoption now means building relationships with healthcare organizations that will pay off now and in the future.
8. Virtual Locums Could Unlock a Hidden Talent Pool
Telehealth’s popularity exploded during the COVID‑19 pandemic, but CHG’s report suggests staffing firms aren’t yet tapping its full potential. Nearly half (47%) of locum physicians are extremely interested in virtual work, and another 21% are moderately interested. Yet only 20% of physicians reported having telehealth locum assignments available in the past year. Among physicians offered virtual roles, around 63% accepted.
This gap between supply and demand signals a significant opportunity in the locum market. While some specialties (like psychiatry) are already leveraging virtual locums, extending tele-locum models more broadly could drive recruitment, flexibility, and coverage innovation.
9. Tech Is the Backbone of Scalable Locums Programs
When asked about workforce-related pain points, healthcare organizations highlighted credentialing delays, scheduling conflicts, and communication gaps. However, there was also growing optimism that new tech could be a solution. Around 54% of respondents saw value in new AI tools, while 59% believed their work would become more efficient with emerging technology.
The bottom line is clear: modern locum strategy starts with tech‑enabled solutions. Already, VMS platforms and integrated staffing tech are increasing efficiency. With AI advancing daily, the expectation is that staffing partners will deliver via modern systems, not spreadsheets and scattered email chains.
10. Perceptions of Locums Are Finally Shifting
CHG closes its report with a positive outlook for the industry’s future: Locum tenens has established itself as a pillar of modern healthcare. Facilities are becoming more deliberate and strategic in their locum programs to meet long-term goals.
This shift is reflected in perception metrics. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of US physicians now report a positive impression of locum tenens work, and 61% of hospital leaders view locum providers positively (up from 45% in 2023).
More than a PR win, it’s a sign that locums are becoming embedded in core workforce strategy. The surge seen during the pandemic was not temporary; locums are poised to remain central in how facilities address issues such as burnout, physician shortages, and turnover.
Planning for the Year Ahead
The locum tenens landscape is evolving fast. What was once considered a stopgap solution is now a core component of long-term workforce planning.
CHG’s 2025 report confirms what many staffing leaders already sense: locums reflect a wider range of career stages and are more local and integrated into care teams than ever before. With trends like rising APP demand, expanding telehealth opportunities, and accelerating VMS adoption, the expectations for staffing partners are shifting quickly.
For healthcare leaders, the most important takeaway is that locum strategy isn’t something to revisit once a crisis hits. It’s a year-round imperative that demands better tech, broader talent pipelines, and smarter positioning.
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