Third-quarter revenue at AMN Healthcare Services Inc. (NYSE: AHS), the largest U.S. healthcare staffing firm, rose 6.5 percent to $243.9 million from $229.0 million in the year-ago quarter.

Nurse and allied healthcare staffing revenue rose 12.6 percent to $166.3 million in the third quarter. Physician placement revenue rose 8.7 percent in the third quarter to $10.0 million. However, locum tenens  revenue fell 6.2 percent to $67.6 million.

Third-quarter gross margin improved to 28.5 percent from 27.8 percent in the year-ago quarter. AMN reported the increase in gross margin was driven primarily by the locum tenens segment.

The company posted a third-quarter net income of $5.86 million, compared with net loss of $26.9 million in the year-ago period.

Looking forward, AMN Healthcare expects fourth-quarter revenue of between $240 million and $244 million, a year-over-year increase of 8 percent to 10 percent.

AMN Healthcare Services Inc. (NYSE: AHS)
 For the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012, compared with the same period in 2011.
 Revenue: $243.9 million, +6.5 percent
 Net income: $5.9 million vs. net loss of $26.9 million