It’s clear that the status quo isn’t working when it comes to healthcare staffing. Insufficient resources plague the industry, raising stress levels for providers and either driving them out of the field or discouraging future clinicians from considering it. The statistics are sobering. An Oracle report stated that more than 6.5 million healthcare professionals will leave their positions by 2026, while only 1.9 million will replace them.

This means depleted resources, lower standards of care, and hospital and practice closures, especially in rural areas. Yet many medical facilities and healthcare staffing firms continue with the same outdated recruitment and retention approaches. It’s time to recognize that confronting the staffing shortage requires a reckoning around what is driving professionals out of the field and a commitment to coming together to change the dynamic. 

Band-Aid Solutions Won’t Heal Provider Burnout

The fact is, providers are exhausted. This study found that staffing shortages, bureaucratic tasks, a chaotic work environment, no control over workload and after-hours work are the primary contributors to burnout. As an industry, we need to create more innovative strategies to address these realities.  

Other professions are increasingly embracing new workplace models, so it’s no surprise that healthcare workers want the same. This means flexible schedules, a less hectic pace, increased mental well-being and a renewed emphasis on patient care. Many providers are starting to look at locum tenens, or temporary assignments, as an attractive alternative to permanent placements.  

Locums Are a Valuable Solution for Staffing Challenges 

Locums are extremely versatile — they can fill in for leave replacements or emergency absences; help adjust provider levels during ebbs and flows in patient need; deliver Telehealth services; close critical gaps in rural hospitals; deliver temporary staff to nursing homes, schools, prisons and large job sites; and more.  

By working together, healthcare facilities and staffing firms can successfully use the locum model to attract and retain more clinicians to address the provider shortage. As staffing experts, we can educate healthcare leaders and help dispel their concerns. Here are a few common myths we should try to debunk.  

Myth #1: Hiring locums is expensive. Locums provide a cost savings because they contribute to revenue by allowing facilities to continue to serve and grow their patient roster. They’re easy to budget because they’re a fixed cost with a set hourly rate, daily schedule and start/end dates. They also allow facilities to avoid expenses related to benefits, unemployment and paid time off. 

Myth #2: It’s difficult to get the right provider. Because locums are temporary, facilities can select the precise specialist needed based on changing patient demand and bring them on only when needed. Locums are also fully-trained practitioners, so they can start the job quickly and without as much ramp-up as permanent hires.   

Myth #3: The recruiting challenges are overwhelming. Some facilities struggle to recruit locums because they lack the resources and contacts to reach markets across the country. This is where a healthcare facility/staffing agency partnership is valuable for building talent pools, especially in hard-to-fill positions such as oncology, gastroenterology, anesthesiology, advanced practice and allied occupations in behavioral health and radiology.  

Myth #4: The transition can be difficult. Even though these are temporary positions, a strong onboarding strategy enables a seamless transition and helps the entire team adjust. A manager or administrator should provide the locum with an advanced rundown of the facility and equipment, introduce the staff, and give an overview of the expectations for scheduling, treatment planning and office procedures.  

Myth #5: Patient care will suffer. Even though locums are temporarily serving, they’re equally as qualified, if not more so, as permanent staff. They also bring a fresh perspective thanks to working with a variety of practitioners in different settings. As long as the existing staff provides the locum with all the necessary treatment plans and charting information, the patient will continue to receive the best continuity and quality of care.

The industry faces daunting challenges when it comes to closing staffing coverage gaps. But by coming together, facilities and staffing agencies can create innovative solutions that support and value healthcare professionals. This will enable them to take better ownership of their lives and careers, encouraging them to continue serving in this rewarding and impactful profession.