Could it be the second week of the eighth month of 2022 already? Wow.
Apparently, it is–and that means it’s time to honor the roughly 52,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians who work as locum tenens clinicians across the United States.
Whether moonlighting or working locum tenens exclusively, these medical professionals serve as ‘fill-in physicians’ or ‘temporary doctors,’ (or locum tenens physician assistants and nurse practitioners) in hospitals, clinics and medical practices across the United States. In doing so they deliver healthcare to millions of patients who would otherwise miss an exam or medical procedure.
NALTO®: “You Are the Heroes”
The National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations® (NALTO®) is the only professional association of temporary physician staffing firms committed to a code of ethics and to maintaining the highest industry standards.
In honor of National Locum Tenens Week 2022, NALTO® shares ‘5 fun facts’ about the industry it serves.
Top 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Locum Tenens:
- More than 50,000 physicians (over 5% of all doctors) work locum tenens assignments annually.
- Almost 90% of US healthcare facilities use locum tenens physicians every year.
- Locum tenens doctors provide care for an estimated 7.5 million Americans every year.
- Top reasons why physicians try locum tenens: extra income; flexible schedule; ability to travel, grow professionally, avoid burnout and spend more time with patients.
- Did you know? Locum tenens is Latin for “to hold the place of.”
Wilderness Medical Staffing Photo Contest
This Alaska-based agency is celebrating #NationalLocumTenensWeek 2022 by hosting a contest for the best photo submitted by a locum tenens doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner who works with Wilderness. The three medical professionals receiving the most votes will receive prizes.
Voting is open from Monday, August 8, at 12:00 AM to Friday, August 12, at 11:59 PM. To vote, select an image. A larger version of the image will appear. When you are ready to vote, select “vote now.” One vote per person. (Hovering over images will show the provider’s name who submitted the image. Images are organized randomly.)
Having already looked at the array of breathtaking images, we’re confident that picking just ONE won’t be easy!
Provider Shoutouts from All Medical Personnel
This Hollywood, FL-based company established the website locumtenensweek.com to offer “provider shoutouts” from All Medical recruiters to locum tenens physicians and advanced practice providers who work with the agency. Below are a few examples:
- From Courtney: “Dr. Zellner is one of my all-time favorite people. She has been a tremendous asset not only to All Medical but several of our clients and is consistently a joy to work with!!”
- From Robert: “I would like to honor Eddie C., FNP. Eddie and I have been working together since 2017 when he was looking for employment after serving in the Navy. He is hard-working, personable and someone who will always leave a smile on your face. Eddie is now serving his community as a fireman and as a locum provider whenever his schedule allows it. Thank you, Eddie, for your service!”
- From Tabitha: “Ola is an incredible PMHNP (psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner) in Illinois. She has been working with All Medical for the past three months and our clients absolutely LOVE her! She does an amazing job and works so hard. She deserves all the props in the world!”
Get the Goods @locumstory.com
In its 2022 salute to locum tenens physicians and advanced practitioners via locumstory.com, CompHealth shared some statistics from its own database, combined with those from sister company Weatherby Healthcare, as follows:
CompHealth also offered a commemorative T-shirt for $10 this year (while supplies last or by August 12, using the promo code “LOCUM22” at checkout), noting, “Nothing celebrates our hard-working providers quite like a free T-shirt for everyone. And yes, it will probably be ill-fitting and live in the back of your closet until you need a shirt for yard work, but we hope it will always serve as a reminder of how grateful we are for locum tenens.”
All Star Cares Award Winner Named
All Star Healthcare Solutions has presented this year’s “All Star Cares Award” to Randy Kimmelman, DO, a general surgeon who has partnered with All Star for more than a decade. Dr. Kimmelman also sits on the All Star Physician Advisory Board. The event took place virtually via Zoom to kick off the agency’s National Locum Tenens Week 2022 celebration.
“The All Star Cares Award is presented each year to a provider who leads with the heart and significantly impacts the lives of others on the job and in the community,” All Star CEO Keith Shattuck said.
“When you work with great people, you’re able to achieve really great things,” Dr. Kimmelman said. “We’re bringing care to a lot of people who just don’t have the opportunity or access to the advanced [procedures] we are doing. What we do matters; it matters a lot, not just to them but to us as well. I think that’s what keeps us moving forward in a really positive way.”
Thank You, Locum Tenens Physicians & Advanced Practice Clinicians!
In its nod to National Locum Tenens Week 2022, Floyd Lee Locums invites those outside the locum tenens industry–like patients, healthcare team members and facility administrators–to get involved:
“Floyd Lee Locums is proud to count itself among the many healthcare industry partners celebrating locum professionals this week. We invite you and your colleagues to reach out to a locum clinician, send them a nice note or token of your appreciation, and thank them for the many ways they support your patients as part of your facility, your care team, or your practice.”
In conclusion, we at Locumpedia think Medicus Chief Executive Officer Bob Dickey represents the locum tenens industry pretty darn well with his quote from his company’s Locum Tenens Week 2022 news release, as follows:
“Medicus is thankful for locum tenens healthcare providers. Locum tenens have become an essential part of our medical workforce as many healthcare facilities face provider shortages and burnout. It is inspiring to work with locum tenens providers who are ready to travel whenever a health facility needs their support. It is not easy to adapt to a new work environment – but our providers make it look easy.”
– Medicus CEO Bob Dickey
