You just lost a gastroenterologist to medical leave when your GI lab operation schedule is packed for the next month, and the scramble that follows to find coverage strains your staff morale and your facility’s bottom line.
Or maybe the scheduling issue is with your neurologist. Providing their availability is not a high priority when they have patients and paperwork to manage, making long-term planning feel impossible. That’s where Jackson and Coker can step in. We take a bird’s-eye view of your schedule, identify possible patterns, and help you plan ahead so you can stop reacting and start leading.
Hospital staff management is more than just interviews and paperwork; it is a high-stakes chess match. One last-minute call out can leave you shorthanded, force you to divert patients, and increase costs.
In this post, you will see how partnering with Jackson and Coker and utilizing a locum tenens staffing model could transform a reactive scramble into a proactive staffing strategy, keeping your facility running at its peak.
The cost of a scheduling train.
- Lost revenue + patient diversions: Every patient turned away means a decrease in revenue. Patients go to other facilities, and irreversible damage has been done to the patient experience at your facility.
- Burnout + staff turnover: Because there are gaps in care, your permanent staff are working longer hours, ballooning your overtime pay and undermining any efforts your facility has made at avoiding physician burnout.
- Misalignment + complicated reimbursement: You can fill the spot at the last minute, but it may come at the cost of finding the best culture fit for your organization and may complicate reimbursement.
What is locum tenens staffing?
Locum tenens staffing refers to physicians and advanced practitioners who temporarily step in whenever and wherever you may need them. Whether there is a planned vacation, unexpected leave, or a seasonal surge, this model of staffing can offer your facility flexibility and access to a wider network of providers to fill gaps in coverage. At Jackson and Coker, we make identifying and vetting candidates simple, from credentialing through the onboarding process. Learn more about locum tenens staffing.
The cost of chaos vs. the value of planning.
The cost of chaos:
- Higher rates for last minute locums
- Rushed travel expenses
- Administrative overload
- Poor cultural and clinical fit
- Issues with billing and reimbursement affecting your bottom line
The value of planning:
- Reduced overtime pay through proactive scheduling
- Fewer unfilled shifts with dedicated locums coverage
- Lower stress levels for admin staff
- Avoid staff burnout
- Maintain patient satisfaction by preventing diversions and cancellations
Let us take the lead.
We go beyond simply placing physicians and advanced practitioners where you need them. We are your partner in the details as you build your schedule, delivering tailored solutions that fit the unique needs of your facility.
- Proactive schedule management: We will help you monitor your key coverage dates and propose locum tenens placements ahead of time, so you never have to scramble at the last minute.
- Relationships over transactions: Our team prioritizes building connections with you and your facility so that your patients get the care they need and your business stays strong.
Client consultant Nick Mazzilli’s partnership with a healthcare organization shows how proactive planning can transform schedule management. By staying ahead of possible staffing needs, Mazzilli was able to help the organization remain fully staffed while building a collaborative relationship with their internal recruiting team.
"Nick offered to take our entire hospitalist schedule and manage it by filling it with locums, being accommodating, moving people around, and plugging in our providers where we could pick up shifts. He really owned the entire hospitalist schedule."
Jackson and Coker can transform scheduling from a reactive stressor into a proactive process. We can help you avoid potential gaps in care before they happen, reduce your administrative burden, and plan ahead with confidence.
Are you ready to see how locum tenens staffing can change your healthcare facility staff management process? Contact us to learn more about why locum tenens is the right choice. Let us handle the complexity so you can focus on delivering patient care.
