Editor’s Note
Healthcare staffing decisions are becoming more interconnected, and this edition of Locums Digest reflects how quickly one challenge can affect another. The lead story examines continued consolidation activity across healthcare staffing and the ongoing investor interest in firms with established clinician networks. At the same time, provider shortages, retention concerns, and operational delays continue shaping how facilities approach hiring, onboarding, and long-term planning.
A prevalent theme in this issue is the pressure healthcare employers face to move faster while maintaining stability. Credentialing timelines, communication breakdowns, and gaps in coverage can create problems that extend beyond hiring, affecting patient access, scheduling, and physician burnout. Many facilities are responding by placing greater emphasis on flexibility, stronger staffing partnerships, and more deliberate recruiting strategies.
Technology and workflow changes are also influencing how teams prepare for what comes next. AI tools are increasingly being integrated into recruiting and administrative processes, while debates around physician identity protections, immigration policy, and digital oversight continue to evolve. The organizations best positioned for the months ahead may be the ones that stay adaptable, improve coordination early, and keep operational decisions closely aligned with patient care needs.
– The Locumpedia Editorial Team
Main Story
Cross Country to Go Private in Transaction Valued at $437M
May 6, 2026 | Staffing Industry Analysts
Cross Country Healthcare has agreed to be acquired by Knox Lane in an all-cash transaction valued at $437 million. The San Francisco-based private equity firm will pay $13.25 per share to complete the acquisition, with the deal expected to close in the third quarter pending shareholder and regulatory approval. The announcement is the latest sign of continued consolidation activity across healthcare staffing.
SIA said the transaction reflects continued investor interest in healthcare staffing firms with established clinician networks and diversified service offerings. The deal follows Knox Lane’s purchase of a majority stake in All Star Healthcare Solutions two years ago. Ongoing physician and clinician shortages remain a key factor shaping such decisions across the industry.
The agreement comes months after Cross Country’s proposed merger with Aya Healthcare was terminated after an extended regulatory review process. Cross Country later underwent several executive leadership changes, including the return of co-founder Kevin Clark as CEO in December. The company reported $1.05 billion in revenue in 2025.
La Vida Locum
What Facilities Expect from Today’s Healthcare Staffing Partners
April 18, 2026 | ICON Exchange
Healthcare organizations are placing greater emphasis on reliability, alignment, and communication when evaluating staffing partners. Hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and specialty practices increasingly want locum tenens agencies that understand operational realities rather than simply filling open shifts. Provider reliability, adaptability, and team fit have also become important measures of staffing performance.
Facilities are becoming more cautious about prioritizing speed over long-term fit, particularly when onboarding disruptions or communication issues can affect operations and patient care. There are increasing expectations around technology as well, including streamlined credentialing, scheduling, and real-time interactive tools. Overall, the piece suggests facilities are looking for staffing partners that can support long-term operational stability instead of transactional placement models.
How Health Systems Can Improve Access for Patients Without Increasing Costs
April 29, 2026 | Nortek Medical Staffing, Inc.
Health systems are increasingly looking for ways to expand patient access without placing additional strain on already tight operating margins. Clinical staff shortages, rising labor costs, and longer appointment wait times are major pressures affecting healthcare organizations nationwide. Improving access will require more strategic use of staffing, technology, and care delivery models rather than simply increasing headcount.
Several strategies highlighted include using locum providers to stabilize coverage, expanding virtual and hybrid care models, and redesigning processes to reduce inefficiencies. The article also notes that predictive analytics and community partnerships can help facilities better manage patient demand and extend care access. Flexibility and workforce optimization are regarded as key priorities for systems trying to balance patient access with financial sustainability.
Hospitals Run on People: Why Staffing Strength Matters More Than Ever
May 7, 2026 | Quest Locum Tenens
Facilities continue to face mounting pressure from factors such as rising patient demand and growing operational complexity, making staffing stability an increasingly significant priority. Physicians, PAs, NPs, CRNAs, and administrative teams all play a critical role in maintaining patient access and day-to-day hospital operations. Coverage gaps can contribute to burnout, delayed procedures, scheduling disruptions, and revenue loss.
Adaptable staffing models, including locum tenens, present one way hospitals are working to strengthen support and maintain continuity across service lines. Organizations are using supplemental coverage to fill hard-to-recruit roles, keep up with seasonal demand changes, and reduce strain on permanent teams during recruiting periods. Staffing strategy is increasingly tied to quality of care, sustainability, and long-term hospital performance.
Locum Leaders
- Barton Associates acquires LocumsCollective, expanding its workforce solutions platform and managed service provider capabilities within the locum industry.
- Medicus Healthcare Solutions introduces an enhanced version of MedicusOne, its MSP/VMS platform designed to support workforce visibility, coverage management, and data-driven staffing decisions in locum tenens.
- Epic Staffing Group aligned Epic Physician Staffing and Epic Diagnostics and Imaging Services under a unified radiology staffing model for hospitals and radiologists.
Hire Power
Physicians Are Leaving Clinical Practice Nine Years Earlier Than They Did in 2008, AMA Study Finds
May 8, 2026 | Medical Economics
Doctors are leaving clinical practice at younger ages than they did in previous years, according to a new AMA-funded study published in The Permanente Journal. Researchers found that “hassle factor,” stress, unrealistic patient demands, and lack of professional satisfaction were among the most commonly cited reasons for early exits from medicine. Findings also indicated that some physicians are leaving before practicing clinical medicine after residency.
Respondents in the current sample left practice at an average age of 48, roughly nine years younger than physicians surveyed in a comparable 2008 study. Female doctors were also more likely than their male counterparts to cite caregiving responsibilities, stress, and personal health concerns as contributing factors. Researchers suggested that retention efforts may need to focus more heavily on flexibility, support systems, and reducing administrative burdens as physician shortages continue to affect healthcare organizations nationwide.
How AI, Automation, and Data Are Changing Healthcare Recruiting (Without Replacing the Human Touch)
April 29, 2026 | Alumni Healthcare Staffing
Recruiting teams are increasingly using AI, automation, and data tools to improve efficiency and manage growing provider demand. AI can help them identify stronger candidate matches more quickly, while automation can reduce time spent on repetitive tasks such as outreach, follow-ups, and tracking. Platforms and applicant tracking systems are also being used more strategically to centralize candidate data, monitor pipeline activity, and pinpoint operational holdups.
Data analytics is playing a larger role in helping organizations evaluate sourcing effectiveness, time-to-fill trends, and candidate engagement patterns. Recruiters are also looking for ways to combine AI, automation, CRM systems, and workforce data into more connected workflows. Despite the increased use of technology, relationship-building and recruiter judgment remain central to attracting clinicians and long-term engagement.
The Healthcare Credentialing Process: An Overlooked Hiring Bottleneck
April 23, 2026 | MASC Medical Recruitment Firm
Credentialing delays continue to create challenges for facilities trying to bring providers on board efficiently. Timelines can range from 60 to 180 days, with factors such as multi-state licensure, incomplete documentation, and payer enrollment often extending the process further. Lags tied to verification, privileging, and onboarding can also disrupt planning, patient access, and revenue generation.
Hospitals and other healthcare organizations are progressively looking at ways to streamline credentialing through earlier coordination, standardized workflows, and digital tracking tools. Strategies discussed include beginning verification and enrollment processes earlier, improving communication between recruiters and credentialing teams, and using centralized systems to reduce administrative slowdowns. Faster processes are also being viewed as a competitive advantage as healthcare employers compete for clinical talent in a tight labor market.
Making the Rounds
Deepfake “Doctors” Are a Problem: Here Are 7 Keys to Stopping Them
May 11, 2026 | American Medical Association
Manipulated videos and images impersonating physicians are drawing growing concern from health systems and policymakers as the technology becomes more widespread online. The AMA recently introduced a policy framework aimed at strengthening protections around clinician identity, patient safety, and transparency involving AI-generated content. Concerns include misleading endorsements, promotion of unproven treatments, and erosion of public trust in healthcare information.
The framework calls for clearer consent standards, mandatory labeling of fabricated content, stronger reporting and takedown processes, and shared accountability among platforms, vendors, and facilities. AMA leaders also said physicians should not bear the administrative burden of monitoring or enforcing identity protections on their own. The organization continues to advocate for broader safeguards around AI as digital health tools become more integrated into healthcare delivery.
AAP: Lifting of Visa Freeze for International Physicians a ‘Promising Policy Reversal’
May 4, 2026 | AAP News
Federal immigration officials are once again processing certain visa applications for physicians after pausing approvals earlier this year for applicants from dozens of countries. Pediatric leaders and other healthcare organizations welcomed the policy reversal, citing ongoing provider shortages and concerns about disruptions to patient care, residency programs, and underserved communities. International medical graduates represent nearly one-quarter of licensed physicians in the US, with many practicing in shortage areas.
Questions remain about how quickly the policy changes will be implemented and which application types will qualify under the updated guidance. Clinicians and trainees affected by the freeze are also seeking clarification around timelines, extension approvals, and onboarding procedures. Facilities continue to push for additional immigration and visa reforms as employers face growing shortages nationwide.
Will AI Anxiety Drive a New Wave of Talent to Health Systems?
April 29, 2026 | Becker’s Hospital Review
Concerns about AI disrupting entry-level jobs in other industries may be pushing more graduates and career changers to consider roles in medicine. Becker’s reported that health systems are seeing increased interest from applicants without traditional healthcare backgrounds, including educators, retirees, veterans, and professionals seeking more stable opportunities. Clinical support roles, administrative positions, and training programs are drawing particular attention as facilities continue working to address staffing shortages.
Healthcare organizations are also expanding development efforts aimed at attracting and retaining early-career talent. Examples include apprenticeship programs, tuition support, mentorship initiatives, “earn while you learn” pathways, and partnerships with schools and community organizations. Leaders interviewed for the story said younger workers increasingly expect clearer advancement opportunities, professional development, and structured support early in their careers.
