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