Provider shortages are straining hospitals and clinics nationwide. With patient demand rising, healthcare recruiters and administrators face a critical challenge. How can you maintain patient satisfaction during staffing gaps?
Locum tenens, the use of physicians and advanced practitioners on a temporary basis, has become a go-to staffing solution to answer that challenge. Many healthcare facilities no longer view locums as a last-minute way to fill a gap. Now, they are a strategic fixture in long-term plans. It is estimated that over 90% of healthcare facilities are using locums as part of their staffing mix. Why? Because locums don’t just fill gaps, they also allow facilities to innovate, expand, and stabilize their business in ways that will improve both how patients perceive their organization and their ability to provide care.
For example, if you have a physician going on maternity leave you can use a locums physician to avoid your other permanent physicians from having to cover extra shifts. This not only prioritizes your business, it prevents burnout and allows patients to maintain their care without interruptions. In this way, a well-planned locums strategy protects your team’s well-being and your business by retaining patient revenue that might be lost if services were unavailable.
Purpose-Driven Care
Locum tenens providers are not only a benefit to individual facilities, but they are also a lifeline for many communities. At Jackson and Coker, our mission is to connect providers and communities to transform lives, and we have witnessed how a locums assignment can have a transformative impact in underserved areas and in times of crisis.
Consider rural communities that struggle to attract a full-time specialist. With the help of locums physicians, local hospitals can improve healthcare access, so residents aren’t left without essential services. Last year alone, we placed providers in communities nationwide, who went on to serve millions of patients who might otherwise have waited months or traveled hours for treatment.
In 2022, Hurricane Ian struck the Florida coast, crippling healthcare resources. During the same time, a locums Certified Nurse Midwife had taken an assignment in the region that was expected to be impacted. This provider was able to give care during a critical moment and ended up staying at the facility after the storm. As a healthcare recruiter or administrator, you recognize the value of reliability and responsiveness. Access to responsive support during critical moments can strengthen your facility’s reputation in the community and reassure your team. Read the full story.
At Jackson and Coker, we see locums providers for what they really are: mission partners. They often choose locums assignments not only for career opportunities, but often out of a dedication to serve communities and address healthcare disparities. When your organization uses locums, you’re doing more than addressing a staffing need. You’re upholding your pledge to provide care in every scenario. Patients value that kind of assurance.
Building the Future of Patient Care, Together
Across all these points runs a common thread: partnership and trust. Locum tenens can deliver the best results when healthcare facilities and staffing partners, like Jackson and Coker, work hand-in-hand toward the same goal of protecting access to care for the sake of your business, your team, and your patients.
This means you have an ally to navigate changes in how healthcare operates. As challenges like provider shortages or public health crises emerge, we evolve our services to meet those needs. Whether it’s expanding our network to find you a rare specialist, finding ways to expedite credentialing during an emergency, or simply checking in regularly to fine-tune your approach to locums, we’re there for you.
In the end, maintaining patient satisfaction is a team effort. Let’s talk about how a strategic locum tenens approach can help your team care for your community – today and into the future.
