Locum Link

• Full-time MDs Dominate Locum Ranks

  October 10th, 2011

  Many locum tenens physicians work exclusively as self-employed contractors, but that’s not the only option for physicians interested in locum work.

  In fact, many physician locums are full-time employees elsewhere, but take on occasional shifts to fill gaps in their schedule.

  We recently confirmed this pattern with a survey of the nation’s hospitalists. The survey, conducted for Locum Leaders by Today’s Hospitalist magazine, found that 10% of all Hospitalists worked as locum tenens in the past 12 months. Of those Hospitalist locum tenens, 82% said they were employed full-time and also working as a locum. 11% said they were self-employed—working exclusively as a locum tenens hospitalist, while 7% said they were employed part-time and also working locum tenens assignments.

  It is common for locum tenens physicians to be drawn from the ranks of salaried doctors. But employed hospitalists, even more than other specialists, may be more inclined to take on locum work, according to Robert Harrington, MD, SFHM, Chief Medical Officer of Locum Leaders.

  “Hospital Medicine shift patterns are the biggest reason,” said Dr. Harrington. “Since most hospitalist programs rely on a 7-on, 7-off schedule, you end up with a large population of doctors who have a lot of time-off. They want to use that time productively and so they come to agencies, like Locum Leaders, for additional work.”

  If you are a full-time or part-time physician and wish to explore locum tenens options, contact our recruiters today.

  Tags: hospitalist, survey
  Posted in Ask The Recruiter

• Orient Yourself for Locum Tenens Success

  October 29th, 2009

  If you work regularly as a locum tenens, you often return to the same location.  But just as often you’re “the newcomer” in a facility where you’ve never worked.

  It can be a little daunting and you may feel, well, a little out of place.  

  Fortunately, no matter how long or short your assignment, the hospital where you are working is invested in your success.  So most will do what they can to orient you and integrate you into their team as quickly as possible.

  At some hospitals, you’ll participate in a formal orientation program.  These programs are helpful, but can vary from location to location in terms of quality and duration.  On some assignments, your orientation will be comprehensive, while on others, it may be brief and somewhat informal–so be prepared for all of these possibilities.

  One approach to hit the ground running is to be pro-active in your information gathering.  Try using a self-orientation checklist to ensure that you know everything you need to know to be successful in your locum tenens assignment.  Our Chief Medical Officer recommends the list below as a starting point for hospitalists.  If you’re in a different specialty or work outside of a hospital, you can modify this list accordingly.

  A final tip:  Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It shows interest on your part and a commitment to quality patient care.

  Orientation to the Hospital
   Program Office
   ICU
   ED
   Physicians Lounge
   On-Call Room
   Medical/ Surgical Units

  Orientation to the Medical Records
   CPOE  Brief version(if appropriate)
   Review of normal patient chart
   Standardized Orders – access and use
   How to retrieve old records
   MAR/Pharmacy records access
   Patient Documentation

  Billing System Orientation
   Online orientation for electronic system, if available
   Paper based system explanation/workflow

  Medical Director Briefing
   Job specific requirements:
        Pre-op clinic
        Code coverage
        Procedures
        “Special” admissions for hospitalist program
        Rapid Response Team
   Key medical staff relationships
   Case management interface, if appropriate
   Patient Handoff Process

  Tags: hospital, hospitalist, locum tenens orientation
  Posted in Ask The Recruiter