Report: Healthcare Providers Continue to Leave Medicine, Nearly Half of All Exits in 2022 Were Physicians
Oct. 17, 2023
A report from Healthcare Dive showed that more than 145,000 healthcare providers left the industry in 2021-22. The reasons they quit differed, though, and variables like the role, specialty, and geographic location influenced their results overall.
The article presents the locums industry with some alarming statistics that we’ve heard before. A staggering 42% of physicians reported having experienced burnout symptoms from 2021-22, which could be an indication that turnover will continue to be high when we get results from next year’s report, too. Physicians had the most significant number of exits from the healthcare field, according to the report, particularly in primary care. The physicians who quit accounted for almost half of the exits.
Internal medicine and family practice physicians accounted for more than 16,000 of the 71,309 doctors who left the field by 2022, according to the report. Following physicians, nurse practitioners were second in line with 34,000-plus quits.
The consequences of burnout are far-reaching, too. Healthcare Dive’s report says nearly 40% of healthcare workers are considering leaving their jobs because of burnout-related issues such as heavy workloads, administrative tasks, and inadequate work-life balance.
This mass exodus of skilled professionals exacerbates staffing challenges within healthcare facilities and could compromise patient care quality. Healthcare staffing and facility professionals will have to address the issues to mitigate burnout and retain this workforce.
There’s a heightened urgency for facilities and healthcare systems to look for strategic solutions to combat burnout and retain healthcare workers — using locum tenens providers to alleviate the staffing burden could be a viable solution. It might also require the redesigning of workflows, reducing administrative burdens for providers, and creating a more supportive work environment. Such measures would ensure the sustainability of healthcare facilities enduring these staffing challenges.
For more on the healthcare workforce exodus and insights from the report, see the full article from Healthcare Dive.
La Vida Locum
Hayes: How Locum Tenens Physicians Elevate Healthcare Facilities While Filling Full-Time Gaps
Oct. 18, 2023
In the healthcare landscape, the role of locum tenens physicians goes beyond solving the immediate doctor shortage. A recent article from Hayes Locums explores more of the advantages locum tenens providers bring to healthcare facilities, shedding light on the benefits they offer, such as:
- A Temporary Solution to Staffing Challenges: Locum tenens physicians serve as a reliable solution to the perennial staffing challenges faced by healthcare facilities. When the demand for healthcare services surges unexpectedly, locums are flexible professionals who bridge the gap for facilities, which helps facilities ensure uninterrupted patient care.
- Enhancing Financial Viability: Beyond staffing, locum tenens physicians bolster the financial health of healthcare facilities. Locums optimize resource allocation and reduce staff burnout, which helps institutions achieve cost-efficiency and long-term economic sustainability.
- Enriching Quality of Care: Locum tenens physicians are known for their adaptability and diverse expertise. They also offer fresh perspectives and specialized skills that enhance the overall quality of care. Patients benefit from a broader spectrum of medical knowledge,
- Promoting Innovation and Growth: Locum tenens physicians can infuse healthcare facilities with innovative solutions because their experiences across different institutions bring novel ideas and approaches, fostering a culture of growth and progress within healthcare organizations.
In the dynamic world of healthcare, locum tenens physicians play a pivotal role that extends far beyond plugging staffing gaps. If you want to read more about the comprehensive benefits locums offer to healthcare facilities, read the full article from Hayes Locums.
VISTA: Find Harmony During the Holiday Season With Locum Tenens Relief
Oct. 17, 2023
As the holiday season approaches, healthcare facilities must manage their full-time staff members’ plans to take breaks to spend time with their loved ones. The healthcare industry never takes a holiday, and the need for continuous patient care remains paramount — this is where locum tenens providers can step in for assistance.
VISTA Staffing recently highlighted how facilities can use locums to alleviate some of the burden on their staff during the holiday season.
Some of the benefits of using locum tenens coverage:
- Locums are reliable: These are vetted providers who can maintain a consistent, high level of care for your patients.
- Locums help reduce stress and burnout: The holiday season can be taxing with increased volume, and holiday-related accidents can lead to stress and burnout during the holiday season. Locums allow permanent staff to take a break, recharge, and enjoy the holidays.
The article emphasizes the importance of healthcare facilities working closely with locum tenens agencies to plan and make your needs clear so you can seamlessly integrate temporary healthcare professionals into a facility’s operations during the holidays. To look further into the topic, check out the full article from VISTA here.
Locum Leaders
SIA Forecasts 12% Growth in Locum Tenens Staffing in 2023
Oct. 10, 2023
The healthcare staffing sector grew to $68.7 billion in 2022, tripling its size since 2019, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the current demand in healthcare staffing stems from tight labor markets, turnover, and attrition instead of COVID-related care.
SIA predicts 12% growth in the locum tenens segment in 2023, with an upward trajectory into 2024. The growth occurred, SIA claims, because of an aging population requiring increased medical services, especially for more complex illnesses requiring specialized physician care. The upcoming retirement of a significant portion of the physician workforce will also challenge the supply of healthcare providers.
Advanced practice providers are also still anticipated to stay in high demand. These providers help bridge the workforce gaps and promote a team-based care approach. Staffing firms are capitalizing on APPs’ extensive talent and reach, striving to provide locum tenens to clients in dire need.
Here’s how other segments fared, according to SIA:
- Travel Nurses: The travel nurse sector peaked in 2022, growing to over six times its market size compared to 2019. However, this surge in growth is expected to reverse, with SIA forecasting a contraction of 30% in 2023, followed by a further 5% decrease in 2024.
- Per Diem: While the per diem sector is coming off a period of high demand, they can expect a decrease of 8% in 2023 before experiencing a modest growth of 2% in 2024.
- Allied: Following a strong demand during 2021 and 2022, the allied sector faces a predicted contraction of 3% in 2023 and a further 5% decrease in 2024.
For complete insights into these healthcare segments, view the article from Staffing Industry Analysts.
AMN Healthcare Acquires Healthcare Staffing Firm MSDR for $300M
Oct. 23, 2023
AMN Healthcare announced its acquisition of MSDR for $300 million. MSDR consists of two healthcare staffing companies specializing in locum tenens and advanced practice providers, Medical Search International (MSI) and DRW Healthcare Staffing (DRW).
The potential benefits include MSDR’s expertise and knowledge in recruitment, placement, and operations, including their candidate matching technology tailored specifically for locum tenens. The move aligns with the locums industry’s broader efforts to modernize and adapt to evolving healthcare delivery models.
AMN Healthcare President and CEO Cary Grace expressed her enthusiasm for the MSDR acquisition, emphasizing the importance of providing streamlined access to healthcare services, technologies, and professionals to support patients and communities.
The acquisition positions AMN Healthcare for significant revenue growth in locum tenens, with MSDR reporting $104 million in 2022 revenue and an estimated $155 million in 2023. By incorporating advanced technology, AMN hopes to improve the overall quality and efficiency of healthcare staffing, ensuring that providers are readily available to meet the staffing needs of healthcare facilities nationwide.
You can access the full article from Yahoo! Finance for a more detailed look at the acquisition and its potential impact on locum tenens and the healthcare industry.
All Star Healthcare Solutions Names 4 New Divisional VPs
Nov. 1, 2023
All Star Healthcare Solutions, a full-service healthcare staffing firm specializing in locum tenens and direct hire, recently named four new divisional vice presidents.
- Ryan McGann, who has been with the company for 11 years, now serves as a Divisional VP of Sales for the company’s locums division. McGann’s focus will be cultivating relationships with providers and clients and leading a team of recruiters.
- Robert Jones, who has been with the company since 2017, will now serve as a Divisional VP of Sales for the locums division. Jones will also coach recruiters using his knowledge of the locum tenens and leadership development to lead his team.
- Colleen Versace has been with All Star for nine years and will be the new Divisional VP of Finance and Accounting. Versace focuses on financial analysis and fiscal planning.
- Rachel Michell is the new Divisional VP of Operations Support. Michell joined the All Star team in 2015 and will act as a liaison between several departments and the company’s Facilities, Travel, and LEAN Process Improvement teams.
CEO and President Ken Bernstein congratulated the four new appointees. Bernstein thanked each of them for their commitment to the community, clients, and providers while also exemplifying the values All Star holds dear.
Read the full announcement on these new hires from All Star Healthcare Solutions.
Hire Power
Registration Open For 2024 NALTO/NAPR Annual Convention in Charlotte
Oct. 25, 2023
The National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO) and the National Association of Physician Recruiters (NAPR) have officially opened registration for their annual conference.
The 2024 NALTO/NAPR Conference will be March 6-8, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at Le Méridien Hotel in the heart of the city’s downtown. The conference is open to professionals in the locum tenens staffing industry who want to take advantage of the many networking opportunities and available tools and resources to help their agencies grow and further their locums staffing business in the next year and beyond.
Register today for early bird discounted room rates.
Physician Demand Surges to Record Levels Amid Ongoing Staffing Crisis
Oct. 24, 2023
The latest Internal Physician and Provider Recruitment Benchmarking Report from the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) highlights the escalating demand for physicians. In the middle of a significant staffing shortage, the report reveals that physician demand has never been higher.
The AAPPR report showed a substantial increase in the need for physicians across the primary care specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, and hospital medicine. Factors contributing to this surge included an aging population, increasing healthcare access, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Other findings from the report:
- 47% of physician searches and 26% of advanced practice provider searches remained open by the end of the year.
- In 2022, the hardest-to-fill positions included Surgery: plastics, geriatrics, and ophthalmology.
- Some of the lengthiest positions to fill were in Urology (344 days to contract) and Neurosurgery (254 days to contract). Considering an additional average four-month timeframe for credentialing and licensing, organizations could be without certain specialties for a year or more.
The shortage of healthcare providers and the rising demand for medical services further underscores how important flexible staffing solutions like locum tenens are to address the staffing gaps. Check out the full press release from PRNewswire for more insights into the AAPPR Benchmarking Report.
Strategies to Redistribution Physicians and Address Healthcare Disparities
Oct. 23, 2023
There’s an imbalance of available physicians in underserved rural communities, and a recent op-ed from Forbes Business Council Member Jason Povio discussed the possibility of achieving care equity in these areas by redistributing physician talent.
The persistent disparities in healthcare access and quality emphasize the need for a proactive approach to address the issues, according to Povio, who is President and Chief Operating Officer for Eagle Telemedicine. Incentivizing physician recruitment is something Povio says will be crucial to enhancing healthcare equity in rural communities. Still, hospitals must call on creative strategies like partnerships with government agencies or private foundations to support this move. Additionally, promoting rural areas as affordable options for remote-working families could help revitalize healthcare systems in these regions.
The piece from Povio also suggests solutions like telehealth and other digital healthcare options to meaningfully address the healthcare access challenges that rural communities face. Telehealth is widely recognized as a powerful tool for extending healthcare expertise to remote or underserved populations, contributing to equitable care delivery.
To fix the distribution problems, though, it will also be critical for communities to collaborate with local leaders and healthcare organizations to engage in robust partnerships that identify specific healthcare needs unique to each community. Community leaders must also make data-driven decisions that determine the most significant healthcare disparities, target their efforts, and redistribute talent.
The article further breaks down the potential strategies with insights into achieving healthcare equity. Read more from Forbes.
