As Elite365 acquires Wilderness Medical Staffing, the future of locum tenens staffing might be found at the end of a dirt road.
Welcome to Locums Digest, Locumpedia’s free bi-weekly roundup of industry news and trends that helps locum tenens agencies and healthcare facilities make informed business decisions.
In this edition: Last week, 2025, Elite365 Healthcare Workforce Solutions announced its acquisition of Wilderness Medical Staffing, a firm known for placing locum providers in rural and remote areas. As facilities in these regions continue to face long-term staffing gaps, this move points to a growing trend: agencies investing more deeply in rural coverage strategies. Rather than just filling immediate needs, the industry may be shifting toward supporting care continuity in places that need it most.
Also in Digest: Why rural healthcare systems are leaning harder on locum providers, what clinicians value most besides compensation, and how AI is changing the game in recruitment. We’ve also got a look at the newly minted $50 billion rural health fund and what to expect from National Locum Tenens Week 2025.
Elite365 and Wilderness Medical Staffing Join Forces to Strengthen Rural Locum Tenens Coverage
August 4 | Elite 365 Healthcare Workforce Solutions
On August 4, Elite 365 Healthcare Workforce Solutions announced the acquisition of Wilderness Medical Staffing, a rural locum tenens staffing firm. As underserved facilities continue to grapple with chronic staffing shortages, this acquisition could signal a larger shift in the locum tenens industry: increased investment in meeting the long-term staffing needs of rural communities.
While locum tenens staffing has traditionally focused on flexible solutions for healthcare facilities of all sizes, sustained demand in rural regions is pushing agencies to think beyond temporary fixes. By joining forces with Wilderness Medical Staffing, a company that has spent the last 14 years exclusively staffing hard-to-reach areas, Elite365 is positioning itself to better support clinics and hospitals often left behind by national recruitment efforts. The move highlights a growing recognition that rural healthcare staffing requires specialized expertise and deep provider networks. It also marks a continued trend of consolidation, including Aya Healthcare’s purchase of Cross Country Healthcare and All Star Healthcare Solutions‘ acquisition of Integrity Locums.
For the industry, this move suggests a broader realignment toward supporting more consistent, community-centered care models, particularly in regions with persistent workforce gaps. With more agencies responding to this call, the future of locum tenens could be one that not only fills shifts but also helps sustain care where it matters most.
La Vida Locum
Rural Healthcare Is in Crisis, but Locum Tenens Providers Are the Lifeline
July 17 | Hayes Locums
Physician shortages hit rural communities harder than anywhere else. While 20% of Americans live in rural areas, only 10% of doctors practice there, leaving patients waiting months or longer for basic and specialty care. That gap isn’t just inconvenient; it’s deadly. Patients in these areas face higher risks of early death due to limited access. Fortunately, locum tenens physicians are stepping up. With higher pay, flexible schedules, and a chance to make a real difference, rural locum assignments are helping close critical gaps in care and offering providers something more than a paycheck.
Locum providers are needed in nearly every specialty, but the biggest gaps are in psychiatry, emergency medicine, OB/GYN, and primary care. Only half of US counties have an OB/GYN, and 65% of rural communities report primary care shortages. These aren’t just staffing challenges but barriers to survival. Locums can provide short-term or seasonal coverage, prevent burnout for full-time staff, and help stabilize departments in crisis. When they show up, care has been proven to improve.
With locum tenens staffing up 15% in 2024, the trend shows no signs of slowing. Rural facilities are offering higher base pay and more flexible schedules to meet urgent needs, and many physicians are finding they can match full-time salaries while working fewer hours. But the most significant return? Fulfillment. Providers like Dr. Fenwa Milhouse and Dr. Terry Jones say rural locums reminded them why they fell in love with medicine. If you’re ready to reconnect with your purpose while delivering critical care, rural locums might just be the opportunity you’ve been looking for.
Why Locum Tenens Providers Are the Smart Staffing Solution for Today’s Healthcare Challenges
July 24 | ProLocums
Staffing a healthcare facility today takes more than a full-time roster and good intentions. With seasonal patient surges, regional provider shortages, and burnout on the rise, permanent staffing alone isn’t enough to keep operations running smoothly. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that tens of millions of Americans live in areas without adequate primary care, dental, or mental health services. That’s where locum tenens providers come in to deliver timely, flexible support without the long-term commitment.
Locum physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dentists offer hospitals and clinics a way to adapt without overburdening their teams. Whether a rural hospital needs emergency coverage or a city-based clinic faces a holiday crunch, locums provide scalable support when and where it matters most. They can fill gaps left by vacationing providers, support overworked staff during flu season, and offer specialty care without the need for full-time hiring. The result? Fewer delays, better care, and less burnout for your core team.
Permanent staffing still matters, but it can’t do the job alone. Modern workforce planning calls for flexible, on-demand solutions. Partnering with a healthcare staffing agency that connects you to high-quality locum tenens talent can help sustain care delivery across urban, suburban, and rural communities alike. More than just covering shifts, it’s about keeping your facility running at full strength without compromising quality or morale.
Why More Facilities Are Turning to Locum Tenens to Support Their Clinical Teams
July 17 | MPLT Healthcare
Healthcare never slows down, and neither does the pressure on clinical teams. Between patient surges, unexpected staff departures, and shifting schedules, facilities need a staffing strategy that can keep up. That’s where locum tenens providers come in. These professionals help fill last-minute gaps, but they also provide hospitals and clinics with an innovative, flexible way to manage daily challenges without overloading their permanent staff.
From short-term coverage to long-term flexibility, locum support helps facilities stay steady. Whether it’s a rural clinic needing access to specialist care or a city hospital navigating a hiring freeze, locums step in to provide consistency and quality. They help prevent burnout, minimize service disruptions, and maintain patient access without forcing facilities to rush permanent hires. For providers stretched thin, it’s a way to take a breath, and for patients, it means no delay in getting the care they need.
Many locum tenens professionals bring diverse experience from across the country, allowing them to adapt quickly and contribute meaningfully from day one. Their ability to integrate into new teams and share insights makes them valuable teammates, even if it’s only for a few weeks. For facilities looking to maintain quality care while protecting their teams, locum tenens isn’t a last resort. It’s a wise investment in long-term sustainability.
Locum Leaders
SIA’s 2025 Rankings Highlight Healthcare Staffing Leaders and Fast Movers
July 22 | SIA
Staffing Industry Analysts have recently released their 2025 editions of the Largest Healthcare Staffing Firms in the US and Fastest-Growing Staffing Firms lists. For the Largest Healthcare Staffing Firms list, Aya Healthcare once again leads the pack in, reporting $6.9 billion in revenue and capturing a 16% share of the market. CHG Healthcare Services followed in second place with $2.8 billion, ranking as the top locum tenens firm, while Jackson Healthcare came in third. Despite fewer firms making the list, down to 89 from 100 last year, the group still accounted for 84% of total industry revenue.
Shifts in the top five reflect broader industry changes. CHG Healthcare moved up two spots from 2024, surpassing Medical Solutions and AMN Healthcare, both of which reported slight revenue declines. Medicus Healthcare Solutions significantly improved its ranking, climbing from No. 23 to No. 14 with a 28% increase in annual revenue. New entrants to this year’s list include Fusion Healthcare Staffing, Caliber Healthcare Solutions, and Astrya Global Medical Staffing.
For its fastest-growing list, SIA ranked companies based on their compound annual growth rate between 2020 and 2024. Of the 99 firms that qualified, 41% were focused on healthcare. Wellhart topped the list with an 84% growth rate, followed by Health Advocates Network and Ironside Human Resources. The median CAGR among all qualifying firms was 28%, proving strong momentum in an otherwise contracting market.
National Locum Tenens Week 2025: Celebrating Providers with a Permanent Impact
July 17 | NALTO
Once again, we’ll celebrate National Locum Tenens Week 2025 from August 11 through 15 with a spotlight on the theme “Temporary Providers, Permanent Impact.” Organized by the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO), this annual event honors the physicians and advanced practice providers who step up when and where they’re needed most. Over 52,000 locum tenens providers serve each year, with 82% of healthcare facilities relying on their support to bridge gaps and maintain care continuity.
This year’s celebration comes with a sense of urgency. As legislative efforts continue to protect the independent contractor status of locum tenens providers, NALTO is turning National Locum Tenens Week into a call to action. While the Healthcare Provider Shortage Minimization Act (HR 1160) didn’t make it into the latest federal budget, advocacy efforts are ramping up to ensure future legislation supports the locum model. With a projected shortage of 86,000 physicians by 2036, maintaining a flexible and protected workforce is more critical than ever.
To help staffing firms get involved, NALTO has released an updated marketing toolkit packed with logos, social media graphics, press templates, and engagement ideas. It’s a practical way for agencies to join the celebration and recognize the commitment locum providers bring to every assignment. As NALTO leadership emphasizes, these clinicians are crucial to delivering high-quality care in rural and underserved communities, and this week is our opportunity to express our gratitude.
Floyd Lee Locums Named One of South Carolina’s Best Places to Work in 2025
July 21 | Floyd Lee Locums
Floyd Lee Locums is once again being recognized for its standout culture and commitment to excellence—this time earning a spot on SC Biz News’ 2025 Best Places to Work in South Carolina list. The honor follows a string of recent accolades, including awards from Staffing Industry Analysts, ClearlyRated, and Modern Healthcare. The final rankings will be announced on August 25 at the Columbia Convention Center.
CEO Natasha Lee credits the achievement to the company’s team-first mindset and dedication to delivering personalized support for both clients and clinicians. Floyd Lee Locums’ concierge model emphasizes rapid response and relationship-building, which continues to set it apart in the locum tenens industry.
Companies were evaluated based on their workplace policies and employee feedback, with 75% of the score derived from survey results. As SC Biz News noted, the winners know that investing in people is the key to long-term success, and Floyd Lee Locums is doing just that.
Hire Power
Thoughtful Onboarding Turns Temps into Long-Term Value
July 10 | Winston Resources
For staffing professionals, onboarding isn’t just a first-day checklist. It’s the foundation for retention and performance. A clear, structured, and role-specific orientation helps both permanent and temporary providers get up to speed quickly. By blending standardized information with task-specific training, staffing agencies and healthcare facilities can establish clear expectations early on and create an immediate sense of purpose and belonging.
Effective onboarding also goes beyond policy reviews. Tools such as mentorship, job shadowing, and digital knowledge bases enable providers to build confidence, learn workflows quickly, and contribute meaningfully from the outset. Whether it’s a locum physician stepping into a rural ER or a nurse practitioner covering a short-term primary care gap, early support and open communication increase both speed to productivity and job satisfaction.
For contingent workers in particular, small changes like team introductions, project transparency, and honest feedback can shift their mindset from short-term gig to strategic contribution. Sharing success stories and tracking outcomes helps agencies refine onboarding processes and prove their value to clients. When done right, onboarding transforms temporary talent into long-term assets ready to return, refer others, or transition into future full-time roles.
Beyond the Paycheck: What Clinicians Really Want
June 24 | LocumTenens.com
Compensation still tops the list when clinicians evaluate job offers, but it’s not the whole story. According to a recent survey by LocumTenens.com and Advisory Board, more than 730 physicians and advanced practice providers made it clear that schedule flexibility and work-life balance are nearly as important as pay. The takeaway? Satisfaction doesn’t guarantee retention, and pay alone won’t seal the deal in a competitive hiring market.
Clinicians want more control over their work schedule, not necessarily fewer hours. Whether they’re W-2 employees or contractors, most prefer flexible schedules to fixed ones. Time remains the key theme across the board, including adequate time for family, paid time off, rest, and reliable coverage during time off, all of which ranked high on the list of work-life balance priorities. These insights are applicable across various clinical roles and career stages.
To stay competitive, healthcare organizations need to meet market expectations on compensation but lead with a stronger offer. Benefits, flexibility, and sustainable work-life balance can tip the scales, especially when it’s harder to out-pay rivals. In today’s staffing environment, the most effective recruitment strategies focus on the comprehensive picture of provider well-being.
AI in Hiring: Powerful, Fast, and Not Without Risks
July 21 | Medix
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how organizations recruit talent, offering a range of services from resume screening and interview scheduling to passive candidate sourcing and predictive analytics. It’s about more than speeding things up. It’s about rethinking how hiring gets done. But AI can also create blind spots. Tools that promise efficiency may introduce bias, erode candidate experience, or push organizations into risky compliance territory.
A new guide, The AI-Powered Recruiter, breaks down how to adopt AI tools thoughtfully. It covers where automation adds the most value in screening, sourcing, and engagement, as well as where human oversight remains essential. From preventing keyword bias to avoiding the pitfalls of over-automation, the guide provides practical strategies for integrating technology while maintaining a solid foundation in fundamental hiring principles.
For staffing professionals, especially in healthcare, where the human element is vital, AI should be a complement, not a replacement. As platforms evolve with features like generative AI and even VR-based assessments, recruiters will need to strike a balance between innovation and ethics, efficiency and empathy. This guide helps hiring teams move forward with confidence, clarity, and accountability.
Making the Rounds
What’s Broken in US Healthcare and What Might Actually Fix It
July 24 | Medical Economics
The US healthcare system leads the world in innovation but remains plagued by high costs, poor coordination, and glaring access issues. For many patients, navigating care means confronting a fragmented system, inconsistent communication from providers, and complex insurance hurdles. At the same time, sky-high drug prices and administrative costs drain both personal and national budgets.
These challenges aren’t just financial. Outcomes often depend on where a patient lives, their income, or the type of coverage they have. Preventive and primary care remain underappreciated, despite being crucial for maintaining long-term health. And while technologies like AI and at-home diagnostics promise to revolutionize care, they also introduce new concerns around equity and data privacy.
Dr. Marschall Runge, CEO of Michigan Medicine and author of “The Great Healthcare Disruption”, argues that misaligned incentives and siloed stakeholders are at the core of the problem. In a recent interview with Medical Economics, he outlines how shifting toward value-based care and better collaboration across the system could create a more equitable and patient-centered future. Fixing healthcare won’t happen overnight, but understanding its structural flaws is the first step.
A $50 Billion Rural Health Fund Is Coming, but Will It Be Enough?
July 9 | PBS
The newly signed federal legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, includes a $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, pitched as a way to address long-standing rural health disparities. But the program arrives alongside nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, which could leave 12 million people without coverage and place more than 300 rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure. While the fund’s goals include improving access, boosting financial stability, and using emerging technology, experts warn it falls well short of offsetting the projected losses.
States have until December 31 to submit detailed rural health transformation plans. Half of the $50 billion will be distributed evenly across approved states over a five-year period. The remainder will be allocated at the discretion of CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, based on factors such as rural population, hospital needs, and Medicaid dependence. The law also grants the administrator the authority to withhold or reduce payments if states fail to meet program goals.
Healthcare policy experts remain skeptical. They argue the program’s language is vague and the funding amount inadequate, especially considering the scale of the Medicaid cuts. The funding shortfall could prompt states to make tough budget decisions, such as cutting elsewhere or imposing restrictions on Medicaid access. As Alan Morgan of the National Rural Health Association put it, this is not just a Medicaid issue. It is a rural community issue, with high stakes for both care delivery and local economies.
Maximizing Revenue: What Staffing Firms Should Know About Locum Tenens Billing
July 18 | CompHealth
Healthcare facilities that use locum tenens providers but fail to bill accurately often leave revenue unclaimed. For staffing professionals, helping clients distinguish between replacement and supplemental services is a key first step. Replacement coverage, typically lasting 60 days or fewer, requires specific Medicare coding such as modifier Q6. Supplemental services, used for longer-term or growth-focused roles, require complete enrollment, including Medicare’s Form 855i and coordination with top private payors.
Advising clients on payer strategy is critical. While many commercial and Medicaid plans follow Medicare’s lead, enrollment requirements vary. Locum providers should be credentialed with the facility’s major payors to ensure most patient encounters are billable. Errors in credentialing, modifier use, or claims documentation are among the top reasons for denial. Staffing partners can add value by flagging common billing missteps, including exceeding day limits or misusing modifiers.
As denial rates rise, technology is playing a larger role in enhancing billing outcomes. Staffing firms that integrate with vendor management systems, use automated claims tools, or partner with credentialing services can help clients move faster and capture more revenue. When done right, locum tenens becomes a strategic advantage for facilities seeking to maintain financial stability, rather than just a temporary solution.
Sponsored Content
What The OBBB Means for Locum Docs and Healthcare Professionals
July 11 | The Doctor’s CPA
Big changes have arrived for 1099 locum tenens providers, and healthcare staffing professionals should take notice. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in July 2025, overhauls tax benefits and savings strategies in ways that heavily favor self-employed clinicians. From 2026 forward, providers can deduct more through an increased QBI rate (23%), write off major business purchases with 100% bonus depreciation, and even access enhanced Health Savings Account perks. These updates mean more cash in hand for locum providers.
Retirement plans remain robust under OBBBA, but new options sweeten the deal. MAGA accounts let locum business owners tuck away up to $5,000 per child, FICA-free. Plus, self-employed clinicians can now bypass the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap by establishing a strategic pass-through entity. Student loan contributions, education savings via 529 plans, dependent care credits, and ABLE account enhancements add even more ways to lower tax bills while supporting your family or team.
For healthcare staffing professionals supporting 1099 physicians, this legislation is a game-changer. Now is the time to review entity types, adjust payroll systems, and connect locum providers with tax-savvy resources. With the right strategy, OBBBA transforms paperwork into real value, enabling providers to retain a greater share of their earnings while expanding their business.
How AI Is Powering Better Matches in Locum Tenens
July 21 | OnCall Solutions
Artificial intelligence isn’t replacing recruiters. It’s sharpening their game. For locum tenens staffing firms, AI is already streamlining resume reviews, improving candidate matching, and expediting scheduling tasks. These tools free up recruiters to do what they do best: build strong provider relationships and deliver better outcomes for clinicians and clients. Healthcare-specific bots, such as Credentially and Relode, make onboarding smoother and faster, while AI-driven platforms help surface the right candidate for even the toughest-to-fill roles.
Beyond agencies, AI is also helping physicians and clinicians. Chatbots now handle common FAQs, even outside of business hours, giving providers faster access to information. AI-powered assistants can support clinical triage, reduce administrative friction, and enhance flexibility, especially for moonlighters or those juggling short-term gigs. When used well, these tools lighten the load without compromising care.
Still, AI can’t do everything, but that isn’t a bad thing. Ethical oversight, transparency, and human judgment remain essential in staffing decisions. Agencies exploring AI should start small, invest in recruiter training, and monitor results. For clinicians and healthcare employers alike, collaborating with firms that strike a balance between innovation and integrity will be crucial in navigating the AI-supported future of staffing.
