Locums CME is a bi-weekly roundup of recent news that matters to locum tenens providers. Stay in the loop on what’s new in the locums industry, and make the most of the locum tenens lifestyle with our fresh finds.
New DEA CME Requirement Broadly Applies to All Physicians, with Potential Drawbacks for Locums
6/26/23
A new government mandate requires all Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered physicians, not just pain management doctors, to complete a one-time, 8-hour course on managing and treating opioid abuse and other substance use disorders.
Dr. Andrew Wilner notes some key facts from the DEA requirement in an article he wrote for Medscape:
- The mandate, triggered by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, went into effect on June 27.
- More than 2 million physicians and other healthcare providers like nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and dentists need this new CME requirement. One benefit is that there will be at least 16 million more hours of opioid pain management training.
- Many states require one or more hours of opioid and pain management training as part of re-licensure requirements — check to see if the state you’re licensed with is on the list. This DEA-mandated 8-hour training would satisfy that stipulation.
Certain drawbacks specifically impact locums providers. For example, the more than 50,000 locums providers nationwide would likely have to reach into their own pockets to pay for this training, which would take an entire 8-hour shift.
Also, the mandate paints with a broad brush, applying to every physician regardless of specialty or whether or not they even write prescriptions for Schedule II medications, which are more susceptible to abuse.
Locums providers should plan to obtain these CME requirements well ahead of their DEA certification’s expiration date. Dr. Wilner mentions there are plenty of paid options, but there’s a complimentary 10-hour course from NEJM Knowledge+, which was “thorough,” even though it was only tangentially relevant to his medical practice.
Dr. Wilner praises the DEA for the requirement, but he believes that “perhaps the training should be more targeted to physicians who actually prescribe opioids” instead of every DEA registrant
Read more from Medscape about the DEA requirement.
Your Locums Prescription
Navigating the Customer Service Landscape in Locum Tenens
7/6/23
Success in a locum tenens environment might require you as a provider to adopt a “customer service” approach to medical practice. In this instance, the customers are two-fold: the patients you’re treating are No. 1 (obviously!), and, No. 2, you need to treat the facility you work in like a customer.
While, yes, the U.S. Supreme Court does say that corporations are also people, that’s not exactly what we mean.
Providers have to maintain a professional relationship with facilities because there’s always potential for additional assignments or permanent positions. It’s essential to fit in with healthcare facilities, act cordially toward staff members, and learn each facility’s protocols to integrate into each environment.
To ensure locums deliver exceptional customer service, start by prioritizing patient care and dedicating more time to face-to-face interactions with patients and their families, ensuring they feel comfortable and satisfied with their experience.
Discover the significance of customer-focused relationships in the complete article from All Star Solutions.
Try Before You Buy: Discover the Benefits of Locum Tenens
7/14/23
Many doctors are considering looking for new employment opportunities. In the wake of the pandemic, only 57% of doctors said they would choose to pursue medicine again.
Before providers quit, they should look at locum tenens as an alternative career option. If you’re feeling burnt out, which most doctors would agree is true, then practicing locums offers a break for physicians.
Three clear reasons to choose locums if you’re a burnt-out provider:
- Locum tenens gives physicians the flexibility to fit their job around their life.
- Locums gives physicians more autonomy to accept the job that fits best with their current needs.
- Locum tenens allows new physicians to test different facilities before committing to a full-time gig and helps established career physicians take a break from full-time work without venturing too far from their comfort zone.
So switch up your routine and improve your work-life balance with locum tenens!
Learn more about how locums can empower you in your career journey in this article from Hayes Locums.
6 Tips To Win Friends and Influence People… By Working Locums
7/13/23
Relationships are an essential part of life and work, and the American Psychological Association says having more friends is also good for your health. Making and maintaining friendships becomes increasingly challenging as you age, especially for locum tenens physicians who frequently meet new people and switch work assignments every two months.
Still, each assignment gives physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) a chance to build relationships with coworkers and community members. All Star Solutions offers six tips to help providers make friends on their next locums assignment:
1. Be open: Adopt a mindset of a willingness to learn about new people and their perspectives.
2. Try new things: You may have heard the quote that is often misattributed to Eleanor Roosevelt to “do something that scares you every day.” While you probably shouldn’t take it that far, locum tenens make it easy to try new things that challenge you daily. You’ll always be learning new things and talking to new people.
3. Accept invites to events: From potlucks to happy hours, embrace the opportunity to say, “Yes, I’ll attend your event!”
4. Join a local group: Workout classes, book clubs, or local alumni groups: All offer opportunities to make friends.
5. Attend a place of worship: Find a familiar worship site that makes you feel comfortable. A place of worship is a great way to meet people with similar beliefs and values as you.
6. Keep up with people on social media: Follow the friends you make on social media after you leave assignments. You’ll never know when a permanent position might open or if you’ll have the opportunity to return for a follow-up assignment. Social media is a great way to network and keep lines of communication open with new friends you make on the job.
Get complete insights from All Star.
Physician Wellness Retreat
Empowering Physicians to Advocate for Well-Being with New Tools to Combat Burnout
7/5/23
Far too many physicians in America are experiencing burnout, and it’s a sign of the instability and lack of healthcare quality in the US. A recent article from the American Medical Association (AMA) suggested that advocacy from young physicians will be the answer to the current burnout problem.
A new physician’s textbook titled, “Caring for Caregivers to Be: A Comprehensive Approach to Developing Well-Being Programs for the Health Care Learner” has a chapter dedicated to teaching physicians to “advocate for well-being” and not just on the administrative level of a hospital, but the societal level, removing the societal norm that physicians need to embrace an overworked, burned-out work schedule that doesn’t offer any room for balance.
Future doctors can do more to prevent burnout by cultivating interest in it. Medical training programs can equip physicians with a new, beneficial skill set: advocacy.
The textbook’s authors also discuss the need to engage stakeholders at different levels—from supervisors to boards of directors and other staff, to create and disseminate resources, and leverage workplace demand to drive change.
See how you can be a proactive advocate for your well-being as a physician.
Could Prescribing Lifestyle Changes to Patients Prevent Physician Burnout?
7/19/23
What’s a possible solution to physician burnout? Prescribing patients a lifestyle change.
According to an American Journal of Health Promotion research study, the more “lifestyle medicine” clinicians incorporate into their medical practice, the less likely they are to experience burnout.
Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions to treat chronic conditions. Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians prescribe lifestyle changes like regular exercise, restorative sleep, or improved diets to treat or prevent issues like obesity, type-2 diabetes, or cardiovascular diseases such as stroke or high blood pressure. Doctors prescribe these lifestyle changes to their patients, and they claim that, when used intensively, patients can reverse their medical condition.
Almost two-thirds of survey respondents were allopathic (MD), or osteopathic physicians (DO), but other respondents included nurses, dietitians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists.
- 28% of the respondents said they no longer experienced burnout
- 84% attributed lifestyle medical treatment to changing their work situation.
- 43% also said the opportunity to incorporate lifestyle medicine into their practice better motivated their job change
Lifestyle medicine is also a strategy organizations use now to attract more student doctors to the primary care field emphasizing an increased focus on nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle modifications in medical education. So, as burnout in healthcare approaches a “full-blown crisis,” and the physician shortage continues to be a significant concern for the healthcare system in America, lifestyle medicine could offer respite for those doctors on the brink of leaving their profession.
Read the full PRWeb press release.
Prior Authorizations Are Burning Out Docs and Could Potentially Harm Patients
7/6/23
Have you ever found yourself locked away in an office filling out prior authorization paperwork instead of spending time treating patients? Physicians feel the administrative and emotional toll prior authorization has on practicing medicine.
Dr. Shikha Jain, a tenured associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Illinois Cancer Center, provided multiple instances in this Medscape article about “The ‘Psychological Warfare’ of Prior Authorization” where patients in dire need of care were forced to wait for prior authorization approval from insurance providers who may not understand the nuances of medicine, oncology, and the need for a timely response.
Insurers would argue that prior authorization saves money by preventing needless, expensive care, but Dr. Jain says there’s “no clear evidence on that.” Jain fears doctors will continue to burn out and give up after wasting hours on prior authorization requests and seeing countless denials and patient treatment delays. A 2022 American Medical Association (AMA) survey said 88% of physicians called prior authorization requirements a “high or extremely high” burden.
Take a deeper look at Dr. Jain’s analysis of the risks of prior authorization for patients.
Sign Up to Attend Women Physician’s Wellness Conference in Amelia Island on Aug. 11-13
7/19/23
The Women Physicians Wellness Conference is Aug 11-13 in Amelia Island, Florida. The event combines sessions from previous conferences offering women who attend opportunities in career development, leadership growth, self-care, and help to gain clarity in their medical careers.
The conference brings together female speakers in the medical field to discuss wellness in medicine. Participants will take what they learn during these discussions and learn ways to apply them through wellness activities and reflection sessions.
The event will be held at The Omni Amelia Island Resort, with discounted hotel rates available for attendees.
Check out the full event schedule at this link where you can also register for the conference and take advantage of limited discounted hotel room rates.
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Doctor’s Notes
Commercial Payers Administrative Requirements Make Nurses and Physicians’ Jobs More Difficult
7/11/23
Physicians and nurses agree that administrative policies from commercial payers negatively affect their ability to do their job and for patients to access care, according to a new American Health Association (AHA) survey.
Becker’s Hospital Review offered three critical takeaways:
- Administrative requirements from payers delays access to necessary care.
- 56% of nurses dislike their job because of these new payer requirements.
- 84% of physicians surveyed say these requirements make it harder to do their job.
Dive into Becker’s analysis of the survey findings.
AMA Foundation Recognizes Work of 11 Physicians for Excellence in Altruism, Advocacy, And Skill
7/6/23
The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation recently honored 11 physicians with the 2023 Excellence in Medicine Awards.
The award recognizes physicians for their altruism, advocacy, and professional skill. The winners are active members of their community in volunteerism and leadership roles that show their dedication to underserved populations. The AMA Foundation presented the awards at a ceremony during the 2023 AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago.
- Dr. John A. Johnson
- Lynn Jeffers, MD
- Joshua Cohen, MD, MPH
- Jeremy Toler, MD
- Carl Streed Jr., MD, MPH
- Mollie Marr, MD, PhD
- Josef Machac, MD
- Florence Jameson, MD
- Caitlin Bernard, MD, MSCI
- Warren Heffron, MD
- Matthew Wynia, MD, MPH
Read more about the award recipients and see how these 11 doctors move medicine forward.
