Unpacking Locum Tenens Week: A Look Back at Locumpedia’s Coverage of National Locum Tenens Week
8/22/2023
We’re still riding the high of National Locum Tenens Week a few days later! In case you missed it, last week, Locumpedia did a deep dive into the growth of the locum tenens industry through the lens of the enterprising minds that helped form the multi-billion dollar staffing juggernaut.
Through countless hours of research and first-hand accounts from industry founders, we were able to document the first conclusive history of the locum tenens industry from its humble beginnings in rural communities and Yellowstone National Park to an essential part of healthcare staffing. It’s a fascinating story you should check out if you haven’t already.
On Tuesday last week, we shared the locum tenens origin story through the eyes of Dr. Alan Kronhaus, a longtime locums vet who, in the early 70s, recruited the first locums physicians through the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI). Dr. Kronhaus walked us through his early days as a ski-bum-turned-temporary physician in Battle Mountain, Nevada. He spoke of his studies at the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program and research into the economics of locum tenens coverage, which sparked the locums movement on the East Coast.
The following day, locum tenens co-founder, and HSRI alum Dr. Therus Kolff explained how and why he created the first locum tenens business. He took us from his journey around the world to the halls of Harvard University and then back to Utah, where he planted his flag in locum tenens history forever. While he admits in the early days of locum tenens, he “didn’t know what the hell [he] was doing,” that drive and ability to embrace early mistakes helped him lay the foundation for locum tenens that many others would follow one day.
Max Reiboldt, CEO of Coker Group, shared last Thursday in his Q&A the impact his predecessor, Jackson C. Coker, had on physician recruitment, including Coker’s connection to Rick Jackson of Jackson Healthcare. Reiboldt also shared insight into how the industry has changed from an outsider’s point of view and where he sees it going in the future.
We capped off the weeklong celebration by answering the 20 burning questions every locums doc has before embarking on their locum tenens journey — from the fundamentals to top industry tips.
We thoroughly enjoyed putting this together for you and hope you enjoyed it too. Did you miss any of these this week? Don’t let it happen again. Sign up to receive our newsletter!
La Vida Locum
4 Critical Healthcare Specialties Where Locum Tenens Providers Are Making An Impact
8/1/2023
Over the last few years, medical staffing shortages have led to considerable healthcare facility care gaps. Locum tenens providers help “calm the chaos” of these understaffed facilities by providing necessary care until they find a permanent provider.
Hayes Locums listed a few of the top specialties where they see that locum tenens are making the most significant impact:
- Oncology: The pandemic-induced backlog of cases led to delays in cancer treatment due to reduced screenings. This backlog has caused prolonged waiting times for patients, affecting their chances of survival. Locum tenens oncologists are helping provide early access to care and potentially improving the prognosis for these patients.
- Anesthesiology: The lack of anesthesia care during the pandemic led to a backlog of elective surgical procedures. The demand for anesthesiologists and locum Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) has since surged as facilities aim to address this backlog. Locum CRNAs and anesthesiologists are helping to expedite surgical procedures, reducing patient wait times.
- Psychiatry: The pandemic exacerbated mental health issues, increasing demand for mental healthcare providers. Locum psychiatrists have become essential in providing crucial mental healthcare to patients who might not have had access otherwise.
- Advanced Practice Providers (APPs): APPs have gained significance in healthcare facilities because of the looming physician shortage. Providers in demand include traveling nurse practitioners and locum tenens physician assistants. Facilities rely on APPs to bridge the gap in patient care caused by physician shortages.
Read more about the impact of locums in the full article from Hayes Locums.
Innovations in Healthcare Staffing to Alleviate Psychiatrist Shortages
7/31/2023
Psychiatrists are in high demand, especially in this post-pandemic world. But the US is experiencing a severe shortage of these specialists. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 9% growth in psychiatry employment from 2021-2031, but the demand for care has outpaced this growth. As of early June, 10 states were already officially designated health professional shortage areas due to a lack of mental health providers.
LocumTenens.com partnered with a psychiatric care facility to perform a case study showing how the facility responded amid a staffing crisis with several psychiatrists approaching retirement. The facility used temporary staff to ensure continuity of care using psychiatric nurse practitioners. The success story documented in the case study provides three critical takeaways:
1. Forward-looking strategies are essential to address the evolving mental health landscape.
Anticipating a shortage of over 39,000 psychiatrists in the coming decade, as projected by the US Health Resources & Services Administration, facilities must proactively seek new staffing solutions. The pandemic has underscored the imperative for innovative staffing approaches. Rather than waiting for permanent positions, facilities should actively explore utilizing locum tenens providers, moving away from conventional practices.
2. Staffing solutions need to adapt to individual facility needs.
The outdated “one in, one out” approach no longer fits the evolving demands. Incorporating advanced practice providers and nurse practitioners offers greater flexibility and potential cost savings.
3. Effective deployment of clinicians is crucial.
A dependable staffing partner emphasizes sourcing skilled clinicians and optimizing the onboarding procedure. The deployment phase often presents difficulties for numerous locum tenens clinicians. By tackling concerns such as assignment delays and hurdles in credentialing, the goal is to empower clinicians to deliver high-quality patient care without hindrance.
For a deeper exploration of remedies for healthcare staffing challenges, explore the full article from LocumTenens.com.
Locum Leaders
NALTO Celebrates Its Healthcare Heroes in 7th-Annual Celebration
8/14/2023
During National Locum Tenens Week 2023, NALTO President Matt Young applauded the work of providers and spoke about the crucial role of locum tenens, describing providers as “healthcare heroes.” Approximately 52,000 physicians, roughly 7% of the US physician workforce, engage in locum tenens assignments annually, providing vital healthcare services to 7.5 million Americans.
This year’s observance of National Locum Tenens Week aligns with Congress’ deliberation on the Healthcare Provider Shortage Minimization Act of 2022. This bipartisan legislation aims to address the nation’s physician shortage and bolster healthcare accessibility by augmenting the number of Medicare-supported medical residency positions by 14,000 within the next seven years.
Learn more about the impact of locums on the healthcare industry and find comments from NALTO in the full press release.
Weatherby Healthcare Announces the Winners of Its Locum Tenens of the Year Award
8/14/2023
Weatherby Healthcare announced the winners of its “Locum Tenens of the Year award,” coinciding with National Locum Tenens Week.
The award honors four locum tenens doctors who have shown exceptional standards of care and made a lasting impact on their communities. The recipients of this year’s award are:
- Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal in Neurology
- Dr. Michael Fisher in Psychiatry
- Dr. Gregory LaNouette in Urology
- Dr. Beatrice Zepeda in Pediatrics
Weatherby recognized the doctors for being willing to provide medical coverage where it is most needed and helping bridge health coverage gaps in various communities.
Weatherby Healthcare President Luke Woodyard commended the award recipients for their dedication to filling healthcare gaps and providing essential services, especially in areas with limited medical resources. The award winners received a trip to Weatherby’s headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, or Durham, North Carolina, to celebrate their contributions and meet the teams that have supported their assignments.
See more on the award and its winners in the press release from Weatherby Healthcare.
Vivo Healthstaff Recognized for Revenue Growth Landing Spot on Inc. 5000 list
Vivo HealthStaff was featured in the 2023 Inc. 5000 list, which ranks businesses based on percentage revenue growth from 2019 to 2022. Companies must have been created and generated revenue by March 31, 2019, to make the list. These companies must also be privately held, for-profit, and independent US-based entities.
Vivo is an executive search firm out of Dublin, California, with offices nationwide, founded in 2016. The company specializes in healthcare recruitment and consulting. The executive search firm provides facilities with permanent and temporary staffing services nationwide.
Check out the article and see the complete list of 5,000 in Inc.
Elite365 Acquires Anesthesia Staff Provider Kobor MedSearch
8/2/2023
Healthcare Workforce Solutions (Elite365) acquired Kobor MedSearch, a healthcare staffing. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, Elite365 says locum tenens is a key strategy, considering the anticipated growth of 10% in 2023 and 8% in 2024 in this field.
The move should bolster Elite365’s ability to place high-quality healthcare professionals in various roles, particularly within the anesthesia provider market. Kobor MedSearch specializes in anesthesia staffing for both locum tenens and permanent placements.
Betty Evenson, the president of Kobor MedSearch, will continue to ensure a smooth transition and partnership between the two organizations. The acquisition comes in response to the healthcare industry’s challenges stemming from the pandemic, such as staffing shortages and rising costs. Elite365 aims to lead in providing practical solutions to address these challenges while maintaining quality patient care.
See more on the acquisition in the full article from businesswire.
LocumTenens.com Strengthens Clinician Connections: Acquires Inlightened for On-Demand Consultations
8/16/2023
LocumTenens.com, a subsidiary of Jackson Healthcare, completed the acquisition of Inlightened, a Boston-based company specializing in connecting client companies with healthcare professionals for on-demand consultations.
LocumTenens.com’s President, Chris Franklin, highlighted that integrating Inlightened’s network will enhance their platform, providing clinicians with a stronger connection to opportunities for contributing expertise and driving innovation. The acquisition is a response to the changing landscape of the healthcare job sector, as clinicians increasingly seek flexible and autonomous ways to practice medicine while maintaining a work-life balance.
By integrating with Inlightened, the company aims to provide a more robust platform for clinicians to engage in opportunities that allow them to contribute their expertise and drive innovation. Inlightened will continue operating independently under its current leadership while benefiting from the alliance’s potential to share knowledge with LT.com’s healthcare professionals and thought leaders.
Want to know more about the acquisition? View the full release from Staffing Industry Analysts.
Hire Power
Unlocking Career Success: How Physicians Maximize Opportunities, & Recruiters Connect Effectively With Doximity
In a recent Doximity webinar titled “A Look Inside: Talent Finder from the Physician Perspective,” Carly Barnes, senior director of marketing, and Erika Bastien, senior director of client success at Doximity, spoke on how physicians and recruiters can use Doximity tools to further their careers.
Bastien delved into how physicians effectively use Doximity tools such as DocMail, Career Board, and Email Digests, which are sent out weekly and match each of their profiles. The presenters talked about how to write an effective job description and ensure you have adjusted the clinician preferences so your job posting reaches the right candidate. by exploring career opportunities within the platform.
Through the platform, they can use the Career Board or Email Digests, sent out weekly, and match each of their profiles. Bastien said these lists suggested jobs on a News Feed that are easily accessible for users.
Within the system, doctors and APPs can also specify to recruiters whether or not they are interested in a job and what they like about a particular job. Additionally, the Doximity platform enables doctors to recommend colleagues to recruiters for different positions.
The webinar also discussed how physician recruiters can align job postings to the communication preferences and job search practices most physicians favor. The session also covered best practices for engaging active and passive candidates through personal messages. Through the program, recruiters can personalize emails using filters such as medical school and any past ties to residency programs or where the position is located.
You can check out the recorded webinar and stay informed about upcoming sessions at the webinar schedule link.
Success in Healthcare Staffing: Leveraging ChatGPT and AI Insights for Enhanced Client and Talent Development
8/17/2023
Last Thursday, Butler Street’s Erika Bantz presented a webinar about the “Essential Ingredients to Being Successful in a Challenging Environment.” In a way, the title was left intentionally vague. There’s no real secret to success, but tools are available now that help make success come easier.
Butler Street, in conjunction with the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations, has been hosting a series of webinars on leveraging ChatGPT to benefit your business. Participants answered in a survey whether or not they felt ChatGPT and Artificial — or Augmented — Intelligence (AI) would positively or negatively impact their role.
41% of the 84 participants said they thought it could be used as a sales assistant, and 37% believed it would help them streamline the more mundane aspects of the job.
Ultimately, it comes down to using the most effective prompts to get the best results from ChatGPT. There are four types of prompts Bantz mentioned:
Instructional prompts are explicit commands like “Give me 10 reasons you should X,” “Design me a whitepaper that X,” etc.
Exploratory prompts could be, “What would the future look like if dogs ran the world?” or “What if there were no locum tenens?” (We don’t even want to joke about that!)
Scaffolding prompts build a carefully worded prompt with a structure or framework for the response. For example, “Imagine you are a hiring manager for a Fortune 500 company. You handle executive recruitment. Scan the following resume, and come up with X examples of questions I could ask a candidate. The questions should focus on X, Y, and Z.”
Interactive prompts facilitate interactions with AI. Example: “Help me simulate an interview with a locum tenens physician.” These prompts are useful for recruiters to help them prepare for a meeting with a potential client.
Bantz reiterated that AI tools like ChatGPT could improve or assist a recruiter’s job. Technology can only get people so far. It may help a recruiter get their foot in the door and speed up some processes. Ultimately, being able to empathize and manage relationships with people are what will make you successful.
The next Butler Street Webinar will be on Sept. 20. You can register for the next event, where attendees will discuss using ChatGPT for sales.
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