100 Locums Digests, and we’re just getting started
Hitting triple digits feels pretty surreal. What began five years ago as a modest plan to track locum tenens trends has evolved into something bigger: an essential pulse check for the physician staffing industry and a source thousands rely on every month.
We couldn’t have done it without you, dearest gentle reader. Whether you’ve been reading since issue #1 or joined along the way, thank you for being part of our journey. To mark this milestone, we’re doing what we do best: digging into the biggest stories that have shaped the locum tenens world and spotlighting the trends we believe will shape the next five years.
Join us as we look back at the stories that helped define our first five years, cover the latest news in locum tenens, and speculate on the top stories of the next five years!
- Meet us at the 2025 NALTO Fall Fly-In, won’t you? Cory Kleinschmidt, founder of Locumpedia, will exhibit at the 2025 NALTO Fall Fly-In in Scottsdale, Arizona. Visit our booth to discover how your agency or vendor company can expand your business with Locumpedia.
- The 2025 Locumpedia Providers of the Year Award kicks off on October 1. We’re looking to highlight the physicians and APPs who went above and beyond in the line of duty for patients in 2025, so get those nominations ready!
Landmark Stories of Our First 5 Years
Locums Digest #1: Right in the Thick of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Fittingly, the first Digest arrived just as the COVID-19 pandemic was escalating in the US, making it a time capsule for how chaotic and strangely hopeful the moment felt.
One story highlighted how newly remote workers were sewing PPE to protect frontline workers. Locum tenens providers, though often underrecognized, were crucial to keeping patients safe in overwhelmed hospitals. Yet even amid the praise, emergency physicians faced pay cuts and furloughs.
In hindsight, the pandemic revealed how essential clinicians are to public health, but in real time, the financial impact was mixed. COVID-related coverage would dominate Digest issues well into 2021, until vaccine rollout brought a glimmer of light.
Locums Digest #15: Post-COVID Expansion, Telehealth, & Increasing Locums Demand
Digest 15 marked a turning point, with new themes emerging that still define the industry today: expanding telehealth, persistent provider burnout, and surging demand for niche specialists.
We spotlighted a webinar on physician burnout that acknowledged the issue predated COVID but had been significantly worsened by it. That same year, temporary staffing surged 30% year over year, a sign that healthcare facilities were rethinking their staffing models.
The good news is that some of the negative side effects of COVID have lessened in recent years, in part thanks to the efforts of locum tenens. For example, a recent AMA report shows that burnout rates among physicians are down for the first time in years. But there’s no denying that many of the main themes of today’s healthcare industry are rooted in this time period.
Locums Digest #53: APPs Gain More Influence in Healthcare and Locum Tenens
One of the most consistent trends we’ve tracked is the rise of APPs. Digest 53 explored how states were expanding the scope of practice for advanced practice providers and how staffing firms were adjusting to meet their unique needs.
By mid-2023, 74% of medical practices had planned to expand APP coverage. Their advantages, like lower cost, flexible deployment, and broader patient access, made them an increasingly popular option, especially in locum tenens roles.
As legislation evolved, so did demand. APPs are now a fixture of the locum tenens workforce, and their presence is only expected to grow.
Locums Digest #64: The Rise of AI in Healthcare Staffing
Believe it or not, it took until Digest 64 for us to lead with an AI story, and it was a bellwether for what was to come. We kicked things off with an overview of the healthcare industry’s rapid integration of generative AI just one year after the public launch of ChatGPT.
This was still early in the craze, but generative AI tools could already pass licensing exams, assist in diagnostics, and accelerate research. While executives were optimistic, they were also wary of misinformation risks and regulatory blind spots.
AI’s presence in healthcare has continued to increase since this point, including OpenAI’s launch of Healthbench, an evaluation system for AI systems and human health. But the hope and caution expressed in this write-up remain as relevant as they were nearly two years ago.
Locums Digest #73: Locum Tenens Growth Reaches 21% in 2023
By Digest 73, we were reporting on record-breaking growth. According to SIA’s 2024 Pulse Survey, the locum tenens industry grew 21% year over year—even as the broader staffing industry contracted by 1%.
Travel nursing fell 21% over the same period, underscoring how uniquely positioned locums are to meet evolving healthcare needs. SIA projected the market would moderate to 5% to 6% growth in 2025, proving that as long as locums serve a need in the healthcare market, they aren’t going anywhere.
Locums Digest #92: Aya Founder Alan Braynin Passes Away
On a more somber note, Digest 92 led with the surprise passing of Alan Braynin, founder and CEO of Aya Healthcare. Under his leadership, Aya grew to become the largest healthcare staffing firm in the US, renowned for its innovative healthcare staffing platform and technology strategies.
Braynin had quietly been battling cancer, but he preferred to keep his health private, making the news a shock to others in the industry. The leadership change also came during a pivotal moment for Aya. The company was in the middle of acquiring Cross Country Healthcare in a deal valued at roughly $615 million, a transaction that is slated to close in the second half of 2025.
Aya says Braynin left the organization in the good hands of Emily Hazen, its former COO and longtime VP of process optimization. Hazen has played a critical role in Aya’s meteoric rise, most recently helping the firm earn a spot as Staffing Industry Analysts’ ninth-fastest-growing company of 2024. Still, Braynins’ passing led to an outpouring of support and mourning from across the healthcare industry.
Feature Story: How COVID-19 Quietly Created a Surge in Healthcare Staffing Mergers and Acquisitions
It’s no secret that mergers and acquisitions in the locum tenens industry have become more common in recent years. But why? Back in 2023, we asked some of the top locum tenens minds in the nation to weigh in, and they had a surprising answer: COVID-19.
One of the first big moves happened in April 2020 when Doximity acquired THMED, later rebranded as Curative. While the deal was initiated before the pandemic shutdowns, it marked the start of a multi-year acceleration in staffing M&A activity.
From mid-2022 through 2023, major locum players made aggressive moves:
- Ingenovis Health acquired Vista Staffing Solutions (April 2022)
- Cross Country Healthcare bought Mint Medical and Lotus Medical Staffing (October 2022)
- Barton Associates sold to H.I.G. Capital (November 2022)
- Cross Country also added Hireup Leadership (December 2022)
- Acacium Group acquired Sumo Medical (September 2023)
- AMN Healthcare absorbed MSDR (October 2023)
- Epic Staffing Group bought SBG Healthcare (November 2023)
Why the surge? The COVID-19 pandemic put into sharp focus many of the systemic issues in the healthcare industry that we’ve been covering for years, like physician burnout, provider shortages, rural healthcare crises, and more. Locum tenens is uniquely positioned to fill these gaps, leading to massive growth that has outpaced the rest of the staffing industry.
Since this story was published, the trend has continued. Aya Healthcare acquired Cross Country Locums, and Health 365 snapped up Wilderness Medical Staffing. As demand for flexible staffing remains strong, M&A activity is likely to stay elevated—reshaping the locum tenens landscape one deal at a time.
Feature Story: The First Complete History of Locum Tenens
Any comprehensive Locumpedia retrospective would be lacking without the inclusion of our most acclaimed work: The Complete History of the Locum Tenens Industry.
This feature story covers everything, from early experiments with temporary doctors to the rise of trailblazing locums agencies like CompHealth, Jackson & Coker, and Interim Physicians, the founding of NALTO, and more.
However, as has been a theme during this retrospective, the modern era for locum tenens began with COVID-19. Locum providers proved indispensable, quickly mobilizing to meet surging demand. Regulatory changes like the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact have only accelerated the trend, making cross-state work easier and more attractive. While locums were once relegated to new or retiring docs, more providers are interested in the career path for the flexibility, pay, and freedom it offers.
Ultimately, the story of locum tenens is one of growth and development. Between 2014 and 2022, the industry experienced a two-fold increase in size, and growth is projected to remain steady thereafter.
The Latest Locums News
La Vida Locum
Rural Locums Wear Every Hat, and Then Some
August 28 | Wilderness Medical Staffing
In rural communities, locum tenens providers are filling nearly every role. With fewer hands on deck, they shift from clinician to counselor, social worker, nurse, and even janitor, sometimes within the same shift. No matter what they’re doing, rural locums go far beyond the standard job description. This kind of work demands humility, creativity, and a steady hand in the face of uncertainty, and while it’s rewarding, it can be challenging.
For healthcare staffing professionals, the takeaway is clear: placing a provider in a rural post means recruiting for grit, versatility, and heart. These aren’t plug-and-play roles. A successful rural locum needs sharp clinical instincts and the ability to advocate for patients who may not have another shot at care. They must be ready to teach, learn, improvise, and build trust in communities where the nearest hospital may be hours away. The job description might say “physician,” “NP,” or “PA,” but the real assignment is to be whatever the patient needs, in the moment they need it.
As the demand for rural coverage grows, staffing agencies have an opportunity to rethink how they prep and pitch these roles. Are you equipping providers for the realities on the ground? Are your clients aware of what makes a provider successful in these settings? Agencies that match the right locum to the right post will not only fill shifts but build lifelines.
From Fill-Ins to Fixtures: How Smart Facilities Retain Locums
August 21 | Hayes Locums
Hospitals often think of locum tenens as short-term fixes, but many are realizing that long-term relationships with locum providers offer consistency without the strings of a permanent hire. When done right, locums retention delivers stable coverage, familiar faces for patients, and a flexible staffing pipeline. It also allows facilities to test out providers before extending long-term offers. In a tight labor market, this try-before-you-buy model can prevent costly hiring misfires and keep teams running smoothly in the meantime.
So, how do you keep top locums coming back? Start with what they value: flexibility, work-life balance, and professional growth. Facilities that foster a sense of team and offer development opportunities, like mentorship or educational resources, tend to win loyalty from providers who could easily work elsewhere. Paying well helps, but you also need to make providers feel supported and respected. Think of it less as a contract and more as a collaboration.
Of course, none of this works without clear communication. Agencies, providers, and facilities need to stay aligned throughout the assignment and beyond. From setting expectations to offering feedback, transparency is key. For staffing professionals, that means helping clients shift their mindset: locums aren’t just stopgaps. They can be trusted partners who show up again and again when you treat them like part of the team.
Physician Pay Ticks Up, But Satisfaction Sinks to a 10-Year Low
August 21 | CompHealth
In 2024, the average US physician income climbed to $374,000, up just 3% from the previous year. This makes it one of the smallest gains since 2011. While that number might appear solid on paper, more than half of the doctors surveyed reported dissatisfaction with their compensation. Many feel their pay fails to reflect the increasingly complex, high-pressure nature of the job. Administrative bloat, stagnant reimbursement rates, and widening gender pay gaps are leaving physicians disillusioned, even as demand for their time and expertise continues to grow.
Procedural specialties like orthopedics, plastic surgery, and cardiology still dominate the top of the pay charts, while neurologists and dermatologists saw pay declines in 2024. Regionally, physicians in the Midwest out-earned their coastal peers, thanks mainly to aggressive recruitment incentives in rural markets. But even in higher-paying regions, nearly 40% of physicians now take on supplemental income work, including locum tenens, to stay financially agile and avoid burnout.
Staffing professionals need to understand that the hunger for supplemental work is rising, especially among physicians frustrated with inflexible systems and slow salary growth. Agencies offering locum tenens opportunities should lean into the flexibility, earning potential, and autonomy it provides. Locums is now a way for providers to reclaim control over how, when, and where they practice.
Can Radiologists Thrive in Locum Roles? Yes, and Here’s Why
August 1 | LocumTenens.com
Radiologists are under pressure. Between growing imaging volumes, staffing shortages, and burnout, many are rethinking what sustainable work looks like. Enter locum tenens. While some radiologists hesitate over pay consistency or unfamiliar teams, these concerns often stem from outdated assumptions. In reality, locum work offers things that make work feel meaningful again, like high-earning potential, more autonomy, and less red tape. And with strong recruiter relationships, providers don’t have to worry about flying blind.
Roadblocks like fluctuating income, limited benefits, or assignment cancellations are real but solvable. High-demand subspecialists often find year-round work, and full-time locums frequently take home more after covering private insurance and retirement. As for the fear of unstable gigs? Solid contracts and strategic placements help mitigate that. Many locum radiologists stay local, return to familiar facilities, or work extended contracts that allow them to build strong connections while avoiding the burnout baked into permanent roles.
At the heart of all this is something deeper: purpose. A 2025 report found that while 90% of clinicians entered medicine with a sense of calling, more than half have lost touch with that feeling. Locum tenens offers a chance to reconnect with patients, with flexible schedules, and with the work that matters. For radiologists chasing stability and meaning, locums could be a strategic next step.
Locum Leaders
Tandym’s Market Share Soars as It Climbs 10 Spots in SIA’s 2025 Rankings
August 20 | PR Newswire
Tandym Group just made a major leap in the Staffing Industry Analysts rankings, rising to #48 in healthcare staffing for 2025, a 10-spot climb fueled by a 50% market share increase over the past year. Despite a challenging market defined by declining travel nurse revenues and shifting post-pandemic demand, Tandym also cracked the top 35 for locum tenens staffing and jumped 25 spots on the travel nurse list. For a year marked by industry “normalization,” this kind of growth is impressive.
According to Tandym leadership, the company’s success stems from a clinician-first approach, smarter credentialing workflows, and investments in tools like Tandym Catalyst™, its AI-powered matching platform. But what really sets them apart is a consultative mindset. Tandym is proving that agencies that deeply understand their clients’ operational realities are the ones who can scale without sacrificing quality.
For staffing professionals keeping an eye on the competitive landscape, Tandym’s rise is a case study in how thoughtful tech adoption and high-touch service can drive sustainable growth, even when the broader market contracts. As healthcare systems recalibrate, agencies that show up as true partners, not just vendors, will continue to rise. Tandym’s move up the ranks shows exactly what that looks like in action.
Jackson Healthcare Earns Back-to-Back Recognition as a Company That Cares
August 20 | Jackson Healthcare
Jackson Healthcare has once again landed on the PEOPLE Companies That Care list for 2025, marking its second consecutive year of national recognition for workplace culture and community impact. While many staffing firms focus solely on contracts and client growth, Jackson continues to prove that prioritizing people is a winning strategy. The company’s “Others First” value drives how it supports its team, clinicians, and over 450 nonprofit partners worldwide through its LoveLifts community platform.
The award, co-published by PEOPLE and Great Place To Work®, highlights companies that lead with empathy and purpose. For Jackson, that means more than feel-good perks. It means investing in clinician wellness, giving back to underserved communities, and creating opportunities for employees to make a lasting difference. It’s part of why they’ve also landed on other top-tier lists this year, including Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For and Best Workplaces in Healthcare.
For healthcare staffing professionals, the takeaway is simple: culture matters. Agencies that invest in their people are better positioned to attract talent, earn trust, and grow sustainably. Jackson’s back-to-back nods are a signal to the industry that purpose-driven business is a powerful business strategy.
All Star Dials Up the Relief: $25K Student Loan Giveaway Targets Provider Debt
September 8 | All Star Healthcare
Student loans are the gift that keeps on taking, but one staffing agency is flipping the script. All Star Healthcare Solutions is offering a shot at real relief with its $25,000 giveaway, the “All Star Payback.” This fall, five lucky winners will each snag $5,000 to put toward their student loan debt. It’s quick to enter, and the winnings could make a serious dent in what many providers say is one of their biggest post-training burdens.
All Star is positioning itself as both a staffing partner and an ally in tackling long-term financial stress. While agencies often compete on job placements and perks, this initiative aims straight at something that actually keeps physicians and advanced practitioners up at night. For staffing pros, it’s a reminder that meaningful engagement doesn’t have to come from a sales pitch. It can come from understanding what really matters to the providers they serve.
Orchard Corp. Names First CEO as It Enters Next Phase of Locums Growth
September 3 | Orchard
Orchard Corp. just hit a major milestone: 15 years in the game and a new CEO to lead its next chapter. The Chicago-based healthcare staffing agency appointed James Cantrell as its first-ever chief executive, signaling a strategic push to expand its national footprint in locum tenens. With a track record of scaling teams and delivering high-performing talent solutions, Cantrell is stepping in to build on Orchard’s reputation for integrity, transparency, and quality.
What started as a regional player has grown into a trusted national partner, now doubling its hospital relationships over the past five years. Orchard’s leadership says the company’s values aren’t changing, but evolving. Founder Dr. N. Ram Saladi called Cantrell “a visionary and servant leader” who’s primed to honor Orchard’s mission while driving innovation across the board. The company’s blend of reliability and personalized service has long set it apart in a crowded field, and now it’s aiming to scale without losing that edge.
For staffing professionals, Orchard’s move is more than just a leadership update. It’s a signal that the locum tenens space continues to professionalize, mature, and attract top-tier leadership. Agencies that invest in both strategic growth and enduring provider relationships will be the ones shaping the industry’s next decade. Orchard’s latest move shows it’s ready to be one of them.
National Locum Tenens Week Honors the Permanent Impact of Temporary Providers
August 12 | Staffing Industry Analysts
This week marks the ninth annual National Locum Tenens Week, and the message is clear: temporary doesn’t mean insignificant. Under the theme “Temporary Providers, Permanent Impact,” the NALTO is highlighting the more than 52,000 physicians and advanced practice providers who step up each year to ensure care continues to flow, particularly in rural and underserved areas. With 82% of facilities relying on locums to bridge staffing gaps, these providers aren’t filling vital roles nationwide.
Amid looming workforce shortages, NALTO is also using this moment to push for policy that protects and strengthens the locum tenens model. President Jarin Dana emphasized ongoing lobbying efforts to embed locum priorities into future legislation. With a projected shortage of 86,000 physicians by 2036, NALTO leaders say locums are key to avoiding care delays, alleviating burnout, and supporting continuity across the system.
For agencies, this was a week of celebration and a strategic reminder. Locum tenens providers are a critical part of the healthcare workforce, and recognizing their value is essential to both recruitment and retention. As demand continues to rise, staffing partners who invest in honoring, advocating for, and supporting these clinicians will be the ones to build the future of care.
Hire Power
States Push Back on Physician Noncompetes as Doctors Demand Freedom to Practice
September 2 | Medscape
A growing number of states are banning noncompete agreements for physicians, marking a major shift in how healthcare systems, lawmakers, and providers approach employment contracts. Once standard in the industry, these restrictive clauses have forced doctors to uproot their lives, often limiting access to care in the very communities that need them most. Now, from Colorado to Maryland and beyond, new legislation aims to preserve patient access and professional autonomy, especially amid ongoing physician shortages.
But progress is uneven. Many of the new laws aren’t retroactive, leaving some providers still bound by old agreements. Meanwhile, hospitals argue that noncompetes protect their financial investments and continuity of care. Some systems are pivoting to alternative enforcement methods, such as trade secret lawsuits or retention bonuses with payback clauses. As more physicians resist signing new noncompetes, states like Louisiana and Pennsylvania are experimenting with limits on duration and geography, while others await court challenges to clarify enforcement.
For healthcare staffing professionals, these changes could reshape the hiring landscape. Noncompete restrictions have long been a hurdle to physician mobility, and by extension, locum tenens flexibility. As legal momentum shifts in favor of providers, staffing agencies that understand evolving state laws and prioritize clinician autonomy will be best positioned to recruit top talent. For doctors seeking options beyond “assembly line medicine,” the future may finally offer room to breathe.
Physician Shortage Deepens: Two-Thirds Say Not Enough Qualified Doctors to Meet Demand
August 26 | Axios
Nearly two in three physicians say there aren’t enough qualified doctors to fill openings in their area, especially in primary care, according to a new Medscape survey. Burnout, retirements, and slow growth in med school enrollment are fueling a nationwide shortfall, even as hospitals and underserved regions face rising demand. Thirty percent of doctors report that they have fewer qualified applicants than they did three years ago, with little confidence that the trend will reverse.
Mergers, the expansion of hospital systems, and rising student debt are prompting younger specialists to seek higher-paying roles, often within large health systems. While support roles like nurses and PAs are seeing stronger applicant pools, full-time physician positions remain harder to fill. Only 16% of practices have started turning away new patients, but pressure is mounting as vacancies grow.
Traditional recruiting alone won’t meet today’s demand. Locum tenens providers offer immediate, flexible solutions to keep care flowing. Agencies that streamline credentialing, support visa pathways, and act quickly are best positioned to help facilities adapt in real time.
What Today’s Healthcare Talent Wants and How to Deliver It
September 1 | allMedical Personnel
Healthcare professionals in 2025 are no longer swayed by salary alone. Flexibility has become a baseline expectation, with many clinicians prioritizing autonomy in scheduling, shorter contracts, and work-life balance over traditional perks. In fact, more than half would consider a pay cut for more flexible roles. For staffing professionals, this shift demands a closer look at how assignment structures and agency-client partnerships can better support modern expectations.
Culture is another key differentiator. Today’s candidates are vetting potential employers for authenticity, transparency, and psychological safety. They want to work in environments where leadership listens, values are practiced daily, and diversity is more than a slogan. Agencies that prioritize cultural fit in their placements and coach clients on strengthening internal culture can stand out in a crowded field.
Finally, burnout and disconnection from purpose remain top concerns. Candidates are asking: “Does this organization care about my well-being? Do I believe in what they do?” Mental health resources, meaningful community involvement, and purpose-driven branding are no longer optional in recruitment. Agencies that help providers find roles aligned with their values will continue to earn trust, loyalty, and referrals.
Making the Rounds
Rethinking Rural Healthcare Delivery with Telehealth
August 25 | Telehealth.org
For rural providers navigating workforce shortages, budget constraints, and growing health deserts, telehealth is no longer optional. While some clinics still view it as a COVID-era workaround, the technology has evolved far beyond its initial emergency stopgap. The reality is that most ambulatory visits do not require in-person interaction. With the right tools and training, rural organizations can drastically expand access to care without sacrificing quality or clinician satisfaction.
The outdated assumption that telehealth must mean video calls at home ignores the full range of options. In-clinic telehealth supported by trained medical staff, digital diagnostics, and remote monitoring creates scalable solutions. A greenfield approach could replace the limitations of fee-for-service care with outcome-driven models supported by centralized specialists, shared health records, and on-demand tech support.
Telehealth should not be a backup plan. It is the infrastructure needed to reimagine rural care by expanding access, supporting workforce flexibility, and enabling sustainable staffing. For healthcare staffing professionals, embracing and advocating for integrated telehealth models could help solve persistent access and burnout issues in rural markets and future-proof your partnerships in the process.
2025 Telehealth Regulations Every Healthcare Staffing Pro Should Know
August 12 | CHG Healthcare
Telehealth has secured its place in modern care delivery, but staying compliant with 2025’s rules requires sharp attention to state licensure, credentialing standards, and payment models. While the Intestate Medical Licensure Compact simplifies multi-state licensure for physicians, every telehealth provider still needs to be licensed in both their home state and the state where the patient resides. Credentialing by proxy remains a valuable tool for rural and remote providers. Medicare’s 2025 rules now extend many COVID-era flexibilities through September, particularly benefiting behavioral health and rural emergency care.
Reimbursement parity remains a moving target. Forty-four states plus DC and several territories have enacted some form of pay parity, but laws differ between requiring equal coverage versus equal payment. Medicare has rolled back some temporary pay increases, trimming 2025 telehealth payments by roughly 3% across services. Medicaid and private payor reimbursement policies vary by state and carrier, so staying current is key for accurate billing and contract negotiations.
Technology matters too. EHR-integrated platforms, HIPAA compliance, and user-friendly interfaces are crucial for enhancing patient engagement and improving provider efficiency. For staffing professionals, telehealth opens new doors in locum tenens. Nearly 60% of physicians surveyed are eager to take telehealth assignments, but licensing, credentialing, and malpractice coverage remain essential components to manage. Agencies that can equip locums with the right tools are poised to lead in the evolving hybrid workforce.
Why the “OBBBA” Threatens the Future of Rural Healthcare Staffing
August 31 | Medpage Today
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act may be marketed as progress, but for rural hospitals already grappling with physician shortages and tight budgets, it spells trouble. By limiting federal healthcare spending and slashing support for medical education, the OBBBA could push already-vulnerable rural hospitals further into crisis. Nearly half of rural hospitals are operating at a deficit, and without a sustainable physician pipeline, these facilities may face closures, leaving entire regions without access to critical care.
The OBBBA also tightens the screws on future doctors. Capping student loans and eliminating the Graduate PLUS program raises financial barriers for aspiring physicians, especially those from working-class or rural backgrounds. Compounding the issue, changes in residency selection and burdensome training requirements are discouraging students from choosing lower-paying specialties like primary care, which rural areas rely on most. Fewer pathways, more barriers, and a shrinking pool of rural-minded graduates all point to an eroding workforce pipeline.
Despite these challenges, solutions exist. Rural-focused training tracks, pipeline programs, and community-based medical education have shown real promise in recruiting providers who stay and serve. But sustained investment is critical. With federal funding in jeopardy, states, schools, and policymakers must step up their efforts. Expanding rural residency slots, offering loan repayment, and modernizing medical education policy are essential to reversing the damage and ensuring rural America isn’t left behind.
Locums Digest in 2030?
Celebrating five years of Locums Digest got us thinking: What will the locum tenens industry look like when Locums Digest 200 is published? To peer into the future, we’re hitting fast-forward to 2030, using today’s data, trends, and a dash of informed speculation to imagine what the locum tenens world could look like five years from now.
AI-Powered Credentialing Becomes the New Norm for Locum Physicians
In 2025, AI tools were already expediting credentialing and candidate matching. Today in 2030, over 90% of locum agencies have adopted AI-driven credentialing platforms, cutting onboarding timelines by up to 60%. For clinicians, this shift means faster starts and fewer administrative bottlenecks.
Hospitals and clinics have embraced AI systems to verify licenses, review malpractice history, and confirm employment records in real time. Automation has reduced data entry errors by approximately 90%, while predictive tools flag potential compliance risks before they delay assignments.
This efficiency translates into more work opportunities and less downtime between contracts. Industry leaders caution, however, that human oversight remains crucial to prevent bias and maintain ethical standards.
Mega M&A Shakes Up Healthcare Staffing as Locum Agencies Consolidate to Compete
The race for scale has reshaped the healthcare staffing landscape. By 2030, three conglomerates will control more than half of the US locum tenens market, the result of relentless acquisitions throughout the late 2020s. Smaller firms have either folded or doubled down on specialization to stay competitive.
It’s a far cry from 2025, when CHG Healthcare held a then-dominant 31% share and others like AMN and Aya were expanding fast. The US market is still growing (up to $7 billion by 2030), but fewer players control the game. Facilities enjoy smoother vendor management and consolidated invoicing. But in some regions, limited competition has nudged up pricing.
Independent agencies are surviving by niching down: rural locums, concierge-level placement, or behavioral health specialists. But the trend is clear: Platform scale, AI integration, and capital access now matter more than personal relationships or legacy brand equity.
IMLC Finally Covers All 50 States: Licensing Delays Nearly Nonexistant
In 2030, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact has achieved full coverage across all 50 US states, including Washington, D.C., and Guam. This milestone has transformed physician mobility. While some states still lagged in 2025 (only 42 states plus D.C. and Guam were members then), license portability is now truly nationwide.
For locum tenens providers, this has unlocked unparalleled flexibility. Physicians licensed in their State of Principal License (SPL) can now accept assignments in any state with ease. Before full adoption, average license processing times varied greatly, ranging from three to six months under traditional processes to just three to four weeks via the IMLC. Now, with streamlined systems and system-wide tech integration, many locums complete multistate clearance in under two weeks.
Hospitals and clinics confirm that licensing delays have virtually disappeared. Now in 2030, over 90% of IMLC-based license requests are processed in under one week, and software integration ensures credentialing happens concurrently with licensure. What once took months now takes days, empowering quicker deployments and substantially improving access in underserved areas.
Burnout Fuels Permanent Locum Shift as Hybrid Staffing Goes Mainstream
Physician burnout has remained unchanged over the last decade, and this has significantly impacted how doctors work. While symptoms decreased in the early 2020s as the worst of the pandemic passed, rates were still as high as 50% as late as 2023. Partially as a result, the majority of clinicians using locum tenens today aren’t taking on side gigs, but building up a full-time career. Hospitals, in turn, have moved away from stopgap locum models toward hybrid staffing strategies that blend permanent teams with dedicated locum rotations.
Surveys in 2025 already showed that 79% of locum physicians planned to continue long-term. Today, that number has reached 88% as more doctors opt for the autonomy, flexibility, and work-life balance that locum work provides. At the same time, facilities facing wave after wave of turnover have adjusted by embedding locums directly into their workforce plans rather than relying on last-minute bookings.
The result? A more stable, responsive staffing ecosystem, especially in high-burnout specialties like emergency medicine and hospitalist work. For providers, this isn’t about escape. It’s about longevity. And hospitals are finally catching on.
APPs Now Take on One in Three Locum Assignments
Five years hence, APPs are still the fastest-growing group in locum tenens. In 2030, nurse practitioners and physician assistants account for nearly 33% of all locum assignments, up from 24% in 2024. What fuels the shift? Rising demand, shrinking rural workforces, and a narrowing pay gap with physicians.
Between 2025 and 2030, demand for nurse practitioner and physician assistant locum staffing has grown at rates of 46% and 29%, respectively, outpacing nearly every physician specialty. Behavioral health, urgent care, and primary care are key drivers, with many APPs now leading hybrid teams that include telehealth follow-ups and asynchronous visits. Compensation has followed: in some markets, experienced APPs now earn 80% to 90% of physician rates.
Agencies have taken notice, launching APP-dedicated divisions and adjusting contracts to meet demand. For clinicians, it’s opened the door to locum careers that offer not just autonomy, financial security, and long-term viability.
Aging Demographics Shift Specialty Demand as Psychiatry and Primary Care Lead Locum Placements
The demographic shift accelerates. As the US population ages and mental health needs surge, psychiatry and primary care now lead the locum tenens market. As some of the specialties utilizing locum tenens the most, there are no signs of slowing down.
Back in 2025, psychiatry was already growing at a 12% annual rate, fueled by a national shortage of more than 21,000 psychiatrists. Primary care, especially in rural counties, has remained the bedrock of locum assignments. In many areas, locums are the only physicians providing consistent access to chronic care, preventive services, and behavioral health treatment.
Rates have followed the demand. Today, locum pay in psychiatry and primary care exceeds permanent positions by up to 40% or more. With back-to-back assignments and flexible contract terms, providers are increasingly specializing in these high-need fields for higher incomes and a greater impact on their communities.
Virtual Assignments Surge as Telehealth Drives New Locum Work Model
Telehealth evolves from convenience to a career. By 2030, nearly 20% of all locum assignments are expected to be fully virtual, particularly in psychiatry, urgent care, and chronic care management. That figure was just a blip in 2020, but tech adoption and hybrid staffing models have since made it a staple.
The trend tracks with broader telehealth growth, projected to increase at nearly 23% annually through 2032. Providers now split their time between hospital shifts and virtual clinics, creating flexible, high-efficiency workweeks. Agencies have stepped up, too, launching tele-locum programs with standardized pay, integrated platforms, and licensure support.
Facilities benefit from reduced wait times and expanded geographic reach, but reimbursement still lags in some states. The bigger picture? A new model of locum work that blends bedside care with broadband, bringing clinicians where they’re needed, whether in person or online.
The Locum Tenens Industry Grows to $15 Billion by 2030
The U.S. locum tenens staffing market hit an estimated $15 billion in 2030, nearly doubling from roughly $8 billion in 2025, according to a new industry analysis. The five-year surge implies a compound annual growth rate of about 13%, outpacing overall healthcare spending growth and cementing locums as a strategic workforce lever for hospitals, health systems, and physician groups. Demand rose across inpatient medicine, anesthesia, behavioral health, and advanced practice providers, with rural hospitals and critical-access facilities remaining the heaviest users.
Analysts attribute the expansion to converging supply-and-demand pressures: persistent clinician shortages, accelerated retirements among late-career physicians, and continued burnout that increased schedule churn and vacancies. Health systems leaned more on temporary coverage to maintain service lines without committing to permanent FTEs during volume uncertainty. At the same time, expanded scope for NPs and PAs, broader telehealth adoption in both specialty consults and after-hours coverage, and a steady rise in outpatient and ASC procedures pushed more facilities to adopt flexible staffing pools.
Operational and policy shifts also played a role. Wider participation in interstate licensure compacts, faster payer enrollment pathways, and hospital privileging standardization shortened time-to-start for traveling clinicians. On the vendor side, AI-enabled credentialing, marketplace scheduling, and rate-benchmarking tools improved fill speed and pricing transparency, while private equity-backed roll-ups added national reach and deeper clinician benches. Together, these factors moved locum tenens from “last-minute backfill” to a normalized component of workforce strategy—supporting access, revenue capture, and resilience in a still-volatile clinical labor market.
