Elevating Patient Care: HR Approaches to Locum Tenens Staffing
Healthcare stability remains a concern worldwide today. HR managers must find ways to attract top talent, and until they can do so, many organizations turn to locum tenens providers. Without these providers, many patients wouldn't promptly receive the care they need.
The providers step in and fill vacancies to ensure patient care doesn't suffer until permanent replacements can be found. Locum tenens might also be called on to provide coverage for a doctor who will be away on vacation, taking a sabbatical, or is ill. Normal operations can continue until the permanent provider returns to practicing full-time.
Many locum tenens were called into service during the global pandemic. They relieved doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who became ill with the virus and those who needed to step back and take a break. With their help, many clinics and hospitals could remain open and treat patients.
When dealing with staff shortages or unexpected leaves during the pandemic, hospitals often turned to agencies for locum tenens staffing solutions. However, staffing agencies must have providers on call. How do they find these providers?
Recruiting and Retaining Locum Tenens
Staffing agencies highlight many benefits when recruiting locum tenens. Financial incentives top the benefits of this temporary work, while education and career development come in second. Many take on this temporary work to benefit from clinical support and mentorship, while some providers do so for familial reasons.
Flexible contracts draw many people to locum tenens work, but some take on these roles to explore different practices. They may be looking for a permanent home and use the locum tenens work to learn more about various organizations from the inside. Some locum tenens choose to take temporary assignments when transitioning between jobs.
HR managers need to consider this when bringing these professionals into the organization. If a locum tenens might be a good fit for the organization, they must find ways to make a permanent job more enticing. Knowing why a person took on the temporary assignment allows the HR manager to address what appears essential to the potential job candidate.
Overcoming the Major Drawback of Locum Tenens' Work
Locum tenens work comes with one major drawback. The provider taking on temporary assignments will find it hard to make meaningful connections with others in the industry. Professional isolation has long been a concern with these workers.
HR managers might use this information when they have a locum tenens they feel would fit the organization well. Highlighting the ability to make these connections may draw the person in and have them sign a contract for a permanent position.
Why Every Healthcare Organization Should Consider Working with Locum Tenens
Most healthcare organizations focus on filling open positions with permanent staff members. They overlook the benefits of bringing locum providers in to fill these gaps. If they bring locums in, they don't see what draws providers to these positions. These organizations could take steps to turn temporary workers into permanent staff members.
Offering greater autonomy is one way to attract top talent, while providing flexible scheduling options is another. HR managers must consider all methods, including reducing the administrative burden on providers and lowering workplace stress.
Those organizations that do so will gain a competitive edge. Providers will want to come work for the organization, so less time will be spent on recruitment efforts. Until these providers are found, locum tenens greatly benefit the industry as a whole.
