More and more American consumers are affected by the healthcare staffing catastrophe sweeping the nation. Healthcare provider strikes, a surge in primary care physicians retiring, and a higher demand for mental health care providers are all contributing factors.
The United States is in the middle of a primary healthcare provider shortage, and Americans are worried. Evidently, A recent Health Day/ Harris Poll reported that fifty-two percent of consumers are concerned that staffing shortages will prevent them from receiving medical care and services.
- Data published by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) suggest that the United States may encounter a shortage of 37,000 and 124,000 primary care physicians by 2034.
- At this time, there are currently 6,486 dental care health professional shortage areas (HPSA) as reported by Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA).
- According to Cornell University School of Industrial Relations and Labor (ILR) strike tracker reports, there have been approximately 30 strikes so far in 2023.
Granted, not all states are being affected equally. Due to their rural locations, some states, cities, and zip codes are experiencing extreme primary care provider shortages. According to the Bureau of Health , Workforce, Health Resources, and Services Administration, these ten states include:
- Delaware
- Missouri
- Alaska
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- Washington
- North Dakota
- Florida
- New York
- South Dakota
Locum Tenens Saving the Day in Rural America
The term locum tenen means ‘place holder’ in Latin. Typically, a Locums provider temporarily fills the place of another provider and is employed at a hospital, private practice clinic, or community healthcare facility that is short-staffed or in need of temporary coverage.
Locum tenens originated in America in the mid-1970s. The Health Systems Research Institute (HRSI) was funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the University of Utah, emphasizing decreasing physician burnout in rural areas. The program assembled a network of doctors to cover the practices of rural physicians so that rural physicians could attend CME courses.
Pack Your Bags and Get Your Wanderlust On; It’s Time for A ‘Workcation.’
Curious about working locum tenens? Have you always wanted to travel to new and exciting destinations?
Undoubtedly, your professional skill set can serve a greater purpose in an underserved population in the United States.
Working locum tenens with Medcare Staffing will feed your curiosity and expand your professional horizons.
Reasons Why Healthcare Providers Chose to Work Locum Tenens:
- More flexibility
- Greater work-life balance
- Extra income
- Mini vacation experiences
- Test out living in a new area before committing to a permanent position
- Gaining a new perspective on life
Presently, Medcare Staffing has assignments in areas of the U.S. experiencing extreme primary healthcare provider shortages, which include New Jersey, South Dakota, and many others.
For more information on working with Medcare Staffing, click the link and speak to a staffing recruiter today.