Don’t wanna be your beast of burden…
Welcome to Locums CME 40, Locumpedia’s bi-weekly roundup of news to help physicians and APPs maximize the locum lifestyle.
Our lead story: A recent Medscape survey shows that 38% of physicians see declining workplace quality due to staff shortages, administrative burdens, and rising patient care demands. Most respondents believe recovery is possible if facilities take the right actions.
Also in CME 40: AMN’s new urgent care salary guide helps providers find positions that align with their career and life goals; Barton Associates reports PAs earn 38% more on average working locum tenens over perm positions; a new study suggests EHR usability greatly impacts provider job satisfaction; DEA’s proposed rules around writing virtual prescriptions criticized by legislators and HHS; tips to help providers negotiate better contracts; and more.
Continue your locums education with Locums CME 40 below!
Physicians Have Hope for Improved Workplace Culture
August 29, 2024 | Forbes
The AMA found physician burnout has fallen below 50% for the first time since 2020, a significant drop from 63%. While these numbers are trending more positively, there’s still concern about how high the baseline remains. Surveyors want to understand the details of burnout and what’s giving physicians hope for a more optimistic future.
Another recent survey by Medscape reported on details of that continued workplace dissatisfaction. The negative stressors on physicians—from staffing shortages to the burden of administrative tasks—have been well-documented for years, with an uptick after the pandemic. The Medscape survey found that nearly 38% of respondents think the quality of their workplace is declining, while only 16% said their workplace is improving. But also, in this survey, respondents added a hopeful point: An overwhelming majority, nearly 82%, said that “it is viable for an employer to maintain a culture that is consistently positive for physicians and also meet patient and marketplace demands.”
They believe it is possible for them to view their workplaces positively again and that leadership can take steps to help that happen.
Despite workplace challenges, a significant portion of physicians remain optimistic about the potential for positive change. By leveraging tech tools and focusing on effective leadership, medical facilities can enhance job satisfaction and create a more positive and sustainable work culture for physicians.
Your Locums Prescription
Comprehensive Guide Helps Urgent Care Physicians Navigate Salary Negotiations and Secure Top Positions
August 20, 2024 | AMN Healthcare
Offering detailed compensation breakdowns and practical advice, AMN Healthcare’s new salary guide helps urgent care physicians seeking permanent or locum tenens positions.
The guide explores how various factors influence a provider’s salary, including:
- Geography: Places with a higher cost of living often offer a commensurate salary.
- Experience: Five to 10 years of experience can increase a base salary by up to 30%.
- Specialization: Additional skills or focus, such as the ability to perform minor surgery or pediatric urgent care, can equal a higher salary.
Additionally, the guide offers tips for securing a position with competitive compensation and attractive benefits:
- Keep your resume current.
- Know your work-life balance needs.
- Stay current on compensation trends.
- Secure additional licenses and certifications.
By leveraging these insights and strategies, physicians can better navigate the complexities of salary negotiations and find positions that align with their professional goals and personal needs.
Tips for Successfully Transitioning to Locums Work
August 23, 2024 | Weatherby Healthcare
Locum tenens is a popular option for physicians for many reasons, and understanding your “why” is the first step to making a smooth transition from a permanent position to temporary assignments as a locum.
The 2024 State of Locum Tenens Report shows nearly 50% of physicians work locum tenens to supplement their income and almost 30% because locum opportunities can pay more than a permanent position. More than a 25% appreciate the work-life balance possible when they control their own schedule. Other reasons include making a new start or avoiding burnout, finding meaningful work in underserved areas or exploring the country, and sharpening skills.
Once you know your reasons why, it is easier to determine which other elements of a locums career are a fit for you, such as:
Explore the geographic options
If you want to manage your schedule to see family more, list areas within a reasonable travel radius from them. If you want to be able to negotiate for higher compensation, be open to a wider variety of places.
Build your support team
Connect with a reputable locums agency and ensure you connect well with the recruiters. Learn from other physicians who have worked locums. Meet with an accountant on the unique tax implications of being a contractor.
Develop the mindset of a guest
Your assignments will be temporary, and your strengths will shine—and be appreciated—when you work within the processes already in place.
Locum tenens offers significant opportunities to those who really align their “why” with this lifestyle. Before leaving a permanent position, consider taking a part-time locums assignment to see how it fits for you.
Salaries of Locums Physician Assistants Outpace Those of Permanent Staff
August 29, 2024 | Barton Associates
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of PA jobs to grow faster than the average, meaning positive things for locum PA salaries, which historically outperform permanent staffers.
The average salary of a permanently employed PA has been trending upward at a rate of 2% per year. In contrast, locum PA salaries have seen a mean annual increase of 8%. In 2022, locum PAs earned an average of 38% more than their permanently employed peers. While salaries for staff PAs have fluctuated, stalled, and even dropped, locum PAs have consistently seen positive growth.
Locum staffing agencies also contribute to this salary success. Recruiters negotiate rates based on specialty and experience, helping locum PAs earn even more. For example, a PA specializing in anesthesia could receive as much as 67% more working locums than in a permanent position.
Start Your Locums Assignment Strong: Essential Pre-Arrival Tips for a Smooth Transition and Effective Impact
August 26, 2024 | Locumstory
A successful start to a locums assignment isn’t confined to the first week of work when you’re busy learning big things like the facility’s EMR and getting to know their specific processes. Instead, begin as soon as you know your placement; if you can navigate more basic concerns, you’ll feel more confident when it’s time to manage deeper learning. Coordinating with your recruiter and the facility in advance helps minimize surprises.
Pack thoughtfully based on location, duration, and travel. If you have specific needs—like a standup desk—communicate those needs ahead of time. Additionally, make sure you have the contact info for key personnel at the facility, including the office manager. Arriving at least 48 hours before the assignment begins, if possible, will give you time to settle in.
Once you arrive, your first week will involve mastering the facility’s EMR system and familiarizing yourself with their processes. Take advantage of this time to ask questions and ensure you’re comfortable with the workflow. Connecting with the office staff, especially your medical assistant or nurse, will also enhance your efficiency.
Ultimately, thorough preparation before your first day sets the stage for a successful and rewarding locum experience, allowing you to focus on patient care and making meaningful contributions at your new facility.
Physician Wellness Retreat
Study Finds EHR Usability Key to Physician Satisfaction
September 3, 2024 | Medical Professionals Reference
In a study published by JAMA Network Open, researchers asked family physicians to rate their EHR’s usability on several factors. About 27% were very satisfied, and nearly 38% were somewhat satisfied, with an EHR’s readability of information important in that scoring. In a physician’s packed schedule, the usability of their EHR significantly increased their satisfaction.
Researchers asked respondents to rate their EHR’s usability for entering data, alignment with workflow processes, ease of finding information, and usefulness of alerts to determine their degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with it. The readability of information ranked highest for usability, while the usefulness of alerts was considered the least useful, indicating an opportunity for developers to improve these systems.
In the study, EHR satisfaction was associated with reduced burnout, matching other survey findings that administrative demands and inefficiencies are a primary cause of physician workplace dissatisfaction.
Literature Review Offers Physician- and Organization-led Solutions to Burnout
September 3, 2024 | Clinical Advisor
A recent review of the literature on physician burnout analyzes the commonalities across studies and offers ideas for clinician—and organization-level solutions to burnout’s components.
The author of this review found key themes of burnout across all of the material reviewed:
- Physicians’ perception of organizational support was crucial to their mental health. If they felt they had some control over workflow and open communication with leadership, including about mental health, they were less likely to report burnout.
- Consequences include adverse effects on everything from patient care and physician mental health to healthcare costs. Individual changes were found to help mitigate these issues, but transformation at the organizational level must happen for any sustainable solution to be reached.
- Burnout is a problem worldwide, and literature on the subject has been reviewed from not only the United States but also Germany, Pakistan, and Iran.
Three universal components of burnout—mental exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of accomplishment—were pulled from the reviewed literature, with personal and organizational ideas for each. For example, physicians may meditate and set boundaries to address mental exhaustion, journal or spend time in nature to feel reconnected to their work, and focus on hobbies or new skills to regain a feeling of accomplishment.
Organizations may increase annual leave days, create opportunities for employees to give feedback without fear of retribution, practice positive feedback and recognition, and invest money in proven stress-relieving techniques. The review concluded with a call for more research on government-led changes and what could happen when physicians are empowered to advocate for better working conditions.
Team-Based Documentation Cuts Doctor Note-Writing Time by Up to 28%, Boosting Patient Visits by 11%
August 26, 2024 | Medical Xpress
Team-based clinical documentation may meaningfully reduce the time doctors spend writing notes, increasing the amount of time they can spend with patients without losing vital information.
A new study led by the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health and published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that when doctors used team documentation to complete at least 40% of their notes, visit volume increased by up to 11%, and documentation time decreased by as much as 16%. For those who used teamwork even more, weekly documentation time shrunk by 28%.
Team documentation included one or more of the following: a medical scribe in the appointment room, a virtual notetaking service, or shared note-writing among clinical team members across the office. Researchers believe that increased income from more patient visits can offset the cost increase for these services.
Resident Physicians Rally for Better Pay and Working Conditions in First Collective Bargaining Push
August 30, 2024 | Becker’s Hospital Review
Resident physicians and fellows at several health systems in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania are pushing for better pay and working conditions. They are doing so with rallies and petitions, their first collective bargaining actions since joining the Committee of Interns and Residents, part of the Service Employees International Union, the nation’s largest healthcare union.
These activities are currently occurring at three health systems: Mass General Brigham and Cambridge Health Alliance, both based in Massachusetts, and The University of Pennsylvania Health System. They are seeking improved training that directly affects patient care, improvements to their healthcare plan, access to reproductive technologies, and a livable wage.
The negotiation with each of the three health systems is on its own timetable; leadership from each has said they are working through appropriate channels to reach an agreement with the physicians.
Doctor’s Notes
DEA’s Proposed Telehealth Prescription Rules Spark Outcry: Advocates Demand Extension of Pandemic-Era Flexibilities
September 4, 2024 | Fierce Healthcare
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposed post-pandemic rule for the prescription of controlled substances via telehealth has drawn criticism. The proposed rule would limit the types of medications that can be prescribed before an in-person visit. The Department of Health and Human Services, Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate, and patient advocates are concerned with the draft and are rushing to submit formal protests to Congressional leaders and the president.
In response to COVID-19 restrictions, there was flexibility for telehealth physicians to prescribe medications for conditions like substance use disorder and attention deficit disorder. Since early 2023, the DEA has been trying to formalize post-pandemic rules. They pulled their first two suggestions after receiving nearly 40,000 public comments against them. The most recent proposal is drawing criticism because of its reported points:
- Physicians can prescribe Schedule II substances only after an in-person visit. Schedule III–V substances may be prescribed after a telehealth appointment.
- If prescribing a controlled substance to a patient they have never met in person, they must check for the patient’s name in all 50 states’ prescription drug monitoring programs.
- Only 50% of a physician’s total prescriptions can be completed online, regardless of the drug’s schedule.
Advocates of telehealth prescriptions plan to submit formal requests, signed by hundreds of organizations, asking the president to extend the current flexibilities by another two years while Congress and the White House help the DEA create a more robust solution.
Master the Art of Negotiation: Key Steps for Job Searching and Career Advancement
August 30, 2024 | Healio
Negotiation is crucial for job searching and career advancement, and you only get one chance to make a strong opening request. To prepare effectively:
- Research industry standards: Investigate average salaries for your field and location.
- Seek advice: Consult colleagues, mentors, and online forums about their negotiation experiences.
- Highlight your value: Identify and articulate the unique strengths and assets you bring to an organization.
- Evaluate priorities: Consider all aspects of a contract, including salary, healthcare benefits, vacation time, and opportunities for continuing education.
Remember, you already have negotiation experience from interacting with patients—applying evidence and crafting agreements. Use these skills in discussions with potential employers, including locum tenens agencies. Additionally, consider having a lawyer review the proposed contract before signing and possibly assist with negotiating terms.
Physicians Can Leverage Increased Bargaining Power for Lucrative Contracts and Benefits
August 30, 2024 | Medscape
Physicians have more bargaining power than ever before. The physician shortage that was exacerbated by the pandemic continues to grow. New market entries, such as retail clinics, telehealth companies, and private equity firms, increase talent competition. This means physicians are in the strongest position not only in terms of salary but other benefits as well:
- Signing bonus
- Relocation and continuing education allowances
- Education loan repayment
- Flexible scheduling
- Remote work opportunities
- Dedicated teaching or research time
Physicians who do their research, practice their negotiating skills, and seek advice from a lawyer specializing in physician contracts can maximize their leverage in this competitive environment while providing great patient care. This proactive approach ensures that physicians can thrive professionally and personally, capitalizing on the unique opportunities available in today’s healthcare landscape.
