The Booming Locum Tenens Industry
For decades, health care organizations have relied on locum tenens physicians and medical professionals to satisfy staffing shortages. In more recent years, as the physician shortage has worsened, this reliance on temporary replacements has become a common practice throughout the industry. More physicians are also using locum tenens assignments as a portal into the industry, a way to explore professional options, and a means to taper off responsibilities at the end of a long career. In 2016, almost 48,000 physicians took on locum tenens assignments. This is a substantial increase from the 44,000 in 2014, and 26,000 in 2002, suggesting that more medical professionals view temporary placements as a normal part of the health care landscape. The widespread utilization of temporary professionals by provider organizations has also nurtured this acceptance.…