These days the healthcare industry has left many healthcare professionals contemplating their careers. Locum tenens work offers healthcare providers tremendous career alternatives. Whether you are seeking to transition into early retirement, moonlighting to test the waters in a new organization, or just exploring new healthcare opportunities, Locum Tenen’s work can breathe fresh air into your healthcare practice.
What Is Locum Tenens?
Locum tenems in Latin means place holder. A locum tenen’s healthcare provider is a person who temporarily fulfills the space of another. Many organizations like hospitals, Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHC), Dental clinics, and Urgent Care Centers employ locum tenem’s healthcare professionals.
Doctors, Dentists, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Anesthetists, Nurses and Physician assistants can all be employed by locum tenens agencies.
Perks of Working Locum Tenems
Locum Tenens companies offer healthcare professionals many benefits. Some of these include:
- Travel: Who doesn’t love a work-vacay? The best part about working for a locums company for most healthcare professionals is the opportunity to travel. Locum tenens companies have assignments in various locations across the country. A change of scenery can work wonders for your career and perhaps help you breathe new life into your practice.
- Better Flexibility: Healthcare professionals have more control over their workload assignments. They have the autonomy controlling their work schedules and tailoring it to their personal needs.
- Trying out new workplaces: It’s kind of like dipping your toe in the pool to test the waters temperature without the full-time commitment. The organization can also see if your personality fits their culture.
- Greater compensation: Healthcare professionals may have a greater earning potential working through a locum tenens agencies. Though agency rates and salary compensations may vary from state to state.
- Less administrative responsibilities: Locums work is temporary and for many this means less administrative responsibilities like teaching, taking call time, and paperwork.
. Locum tenens can be a great way to slowly ease into retirement for many healthcare providers without the fulltime work responsibilities.
NALTO: National Association Of Locum Tenems Organization
Although many locum tenem businesses are independtly owned and operated, NALTO, National Association Of Locum Tenems Organization was created in 2001 to enforce strong industry standards and practices for the locum tenens healthcare professionals. NALTO’s main goal is to set clear and effective parameters of behavior for all individuals affected by the industry, including both healthcare professionals and clients.
Locum Tenens agencies, who are affilitated with NALTO will strive to protect the integrity of their relationships with phycians by completly disclosing information relevant to the healthcare provider, requesting permission before distributing a CV, and striving to maintain strong relationships with a large network of clients.
Choosing A Locum Tenems Firm
In today’s healthcare landscape, there are thousands of locum tenens companies to choose from. So, how do you pick the right company without getting overwhelmed? NALTO has these suggestions that can be helpfull when picking a locum tenens company that provides the right fit. These include:
- NALTO affiliation? Due to all members having to follow and ethical code, you can rest assured that these companies follow the highest standards of service.
- Malpractice insurance coverage? Does the company cover the healthcare professional and are they concerned if you carry your own coverage?
- Can the company pay their employees on a regular basis? Does the company have the financial resources to do so?
- How accessible is your recruitment representative? Are they available to answer your questions and help you through the locum tenes process?
- Will the locum tenems company be taking care of all your sign on details which include: licensure, credentialing, hospital privileges, proper travel and housing arrangements?
Best Practices
NALTO enforces ‘best practices’ for all their affiliated Locum Tenen’s organizations which include:
- Obtaining signed contracts and fee agreements before CV’s are submitted for considerations.
- Healthcare workers permission must be requested before submission of CV
- Seek to resolve disputes between companies with minimal involvement from healthcare workers.
- Honor all contract agreements with clients and maintain communication
- Represent all client agreements and opportunities accurately and completely.
Furthermore NALTO offers standards of practice for both clients and healthcare providers to ensure the best possible business relationship. Clients and physicians should:
- Agreements and contracts with locum tenem companies should be honored and other forms of communication from companies where no formal working agreement exists should be rejected.
- Keep good records of all communication
- Communicate to the locum tenems company any changes in intention and or search criteria
- Respond promptly to communications from the locum tenens company
- Report any violation or infraction of the NALTO code of ethics.
COVID-19 has exasperated the healthcare workforce at many healthcare organizations. Locum tenens offers a fresh alternative for healthcare organizations to replenish their workforce. Healthcare professionals can also explore locum tenems work as a way to take break from their regular healthcare employment or as an alternative to extra income