AI in Locum Tenens? Aye!
Our lead story: Physicians are turning more often to AI tools like ChatGPT for support with diagnoses, documentation, and patient education. While these tools can provide quick, cost-effective assistance with clinical decisions, concerns about reliability and potential biases persist. Experts recommend using AI as a supplemental resource to streamline tasks and enhance patient engagement rather than as a primary decision-making tool.
Also in CME 43: NPs advocate for fair pay amid rising demand, Jackson Physician Search discusses ways for physicians to build leadership skills, CompHealth highlights the perks of taking holiday locums, and we dive into technology’s role in addressing the physician shortage. Plus, the AMA offers wellness tips for physicians on the job hunt—and more!
Continue your locums education with Locums CME 43 below.
As AI Becomes More Prominent in Medicine, Physicians Become More Responsible for Knowing Regulations
October 1, 2024 | Medical Economics and October 7, 2024 | Fierce Healthcare
General-purpose chatbots as well as AI-enabled medical devices, are just some of the new technology that patients and physicians alike are using to support health understanding and decision-making. However, experts caution that standardized guidelines, more robust regulation, and education and training are needed to ensure safety and quality.
According to a study by Fierce Healthcare, physicians use general-purpose AI chatbots like ChatGPT to supplement their efforts on numerous tasks. At least half of respondents reported using the technology in these ways:
- Making clinical decisions (76%)
- Educating patients (70%)
- Checking drug interactions (60%)
- Drafting documentation (50%)
Specific attributes of chatbots physicians find appealing:
- Fast results: Physicians appreciate chatbots’ instantaneous responses given the increasing constraints on their time.
- Financially accessible: AI chatbots are free or low-cost, unlike many medical knowledge databases.
- Patient-friendly: One poll from KFF found that one in six adults report using AI chatbots for health information or advice at least monthly, and one in three say they believe the technology is trustworthy. Providers are interested in using the same tools as their patients, especially to help explain diagnoses and treatment options.
However, there are also concerns about using the technology as it currently is, including that it is:
- Unvetted: General-purpose AI is trained on publicly available information that is not guaranteed to have been verified by experts or to interpreted correctly by the chatbot. One study by a healthcare AI company found that general-purpose AI is relevant between 2% and 10% of the time for clinicians.
- Biased: AI expresses the human biases it has learned as fact (e.g., regarding race, class, sex, and age).
- Not secure: AI is not automatically HIPAA-compliant, and relying on an unregulated tool for certain tasks, such as clinical decision-making, could increase physician liability.
Experts recommend considering AI as a second opinion or a brainstorming partner. It can offer an initial answer that a physician can work from, or it can help a physician who is tired safeguard against their own cognitive biases.
They also say that AI should be required coursework in medical schools and continuing education. Those institutions that already are incorporating technology curriculum report the benefit of teaching not just how to use AI but how to spot the gaps in its abilities.
Beyond the chatbot functionality we are accustomed to thinking about with AI, medical devices that are AI-enabled are regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which by 2023 had issued only draft guidance about its regulatory approach. Other governing bodies are joining the discussion, including the brand-new Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) AI task force. The HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology/Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy Transparency has set requirements regarding how AI tools interface with EHRs, which go into effect the end of this year. It will not yet require specific validation metrics.
Additionally, a study by researchers from several leading universities, including the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Duke University, and Columbia University, found that almost half of FDA-authorized AI tools lack reported clinical validation data. This raises concerns about effectiveness and safety. In their report, the researchers recommended that the FDA differentiate retrospective studies, prospective studies, and randomized controlled trials since those all provide varying levels of scientific evidence.
AI usage, from chatbots to medical devices and beyond, will continue to expand, as will regulations. Physicians at all stages of AI adoption will want to stay current on the updates.
Your Locums Prescription
NPs Welcome Industry Changes and Call for More
October 14, 2024 | Becker’s ASC Review
NPs are critical players in healthcare, yet even as their importance grows, many express concerns about insufficient compensation and recognition, leading to legal disputes and calls for systemic change.
NPs have repeatedly been among the most in-demand medical specialists in recent years. U.S. News & World Report named the role the best job in healthcare in 2024, citing a median salary of more than $120,000 and an unemployment rate of around half a percent. The average annual wage is up to $128,000 and has risen each of the past five years.
At the same time, 70% of NPs say they’re burned out or depressed. Almost 60% of APPs, including NPs, report feeling disengaged at work. Part of the reason for workplace dissatisfaction is a growing scope of practice with few changes in compensation or title. One group of NPs sued New York State, saying they unfairly do the same work as physicians for lower pay. In California, doctors of nursing practice (DNPs) sued the state over its law prohibiting them from calling themselves “doctors.”
The dual narrative surrounding NPs—one of high demand and increasing compensation alongside a growing sense of burnout and dissatisfaction—highlights a complex dilemma within the healthcare system. While NPs are essential in addressing patient needs and alleviating healthcare shortages, their experiences reveal the pressing need for reforms that ensure fair compensation, recognition, and support for their expanding responsibilities.
A Physician Leader’s First Task Might Be Their Own Executive Training
October 2024 | Jackson Physician Search
Physicians in leadership roles help healthcare organizations improve patient care and workforce engagement, but there are significant gaps in leadership training and development, according to new research by Jackson Physician Search and Medical Group Management Association. Physicians are motivated to help advance their organizations and careers in this way, but medical school does not prepare them, and healthcare organizations lack formal leadership programs.
The majority of healthcare leaders agree physicians in executive roles improve quality care initiatives (85%), physician recruitment (84%), organizational culture (83%), and addressing burnout and turnover (72%).
Two-thirds of the physicians said they are interested in leadership roles. Of those prospective leaders, nearly 70% want a voice in their organization’s decision-making. More than 80% of current physician leaders are motivated to continue in their roles for the same reason. Both groups also highly rank their leadership’s impact on organizational culture and the community.
At the same time, only 18% say they were offered executive or business training in medical school, and only 21% say their current organization provides such training. Just over a third said their organization has a formal pathway for physicians being selected for leadership roles.
Physicians interested in leadership benefit from seeking mentors and quality leadership courses or certifications outside their organization. By strengthening traits such as clinical excellence, strong communication skills, including active listening and emotional intelligence, and adaptability and curiosity, physicians will be better able to advocate for themselves when leadership opportunities open at their workplace.
5 Reasons to Consider Holiday Locums
October 7, 2024 | CompHealth
Many healthcare organizations incorporate locums into their holiday season staffing strategy. They forecast provider shortages because of vacations and increased patient volume due to seasonal illnesses and know that locums can fill the gaps. The benefits for physicians and other APPs who work locums during the holidays are also numerous:
- Extra pay: Locums assignments often pay more than permanent roles, and holiday work usually includes a bump on top of that.
- Schedule flexibility: Permanent employees are subject to inflexible and demanding holiday schedule requirements. Locums can choose which gaps to fill.
- Skill development: Whether a provider is a generalist or a specialist, working locums in a different setting with a different population helps to broaden or deepen knowledge and skills.
- Meaningful work: The holidays can be physically and mentally difficult for patients. The presence of locums means care continues when communities need it most.
- A break for oneself: This point may seem surprising since working locums is not a vacation. But if a provider’s personal holiday expectations weigh heavily on them, they could consider an out-of-town assignment. A change in professional routine and lessening personal commitments can help a locums assignment double as an end-of-the-year refresh.
Locums Offers Opportunities for Both Expansion and Focus
October 10, 2024 | Hayes Locums
Many providers seek a medical “home”—one field, one patient population, one healthcare organization—around which to build a long-term career. Taking a locums assignment without losing that permanent focus can benefit the provider because working locums is a flexible, well-compensated way to expand skills and experience a different facility or community.
This profile of a locums PA from Hayes Locums offers an example of a person who began their career as a military medic and continued serving that population by working at a VA hospital. Adding locums assignments elsewhere allows them to expand their understanding beyond their focus on active duty and veteran needs. Conversely, another provider with a similar start as a medic may choose to build their career with the general population but reconnect to their military service by incorporating VA locums assignments into their schedule.
Physician Wellness Retreat
Make Questions About Wellness Practice a Part of Your Job Hunt
October 17, 2024 | American Medical Association
Physicians searching for a new job or locums assignment may want to ask hiring managers about their wellness practices and seek the following:
- There is a way for physicians to share feedback. An organization that solicits input from physicians in a safe, systematic, and regular method means that more providers will speak up and that the organization is actively listening.
- There’s a permanent and active wellness committee. The presence of an internal wellness committee, well-being council, or similar indicates that the organization is interested in workplace satisfaction and has a process for responding to physician feedback.
- The organization has been recognized for its work around physician well-being. Consideration or recognition by a program such as AMA Joy in Medicine says not only that the organization is succeeding in its well-being efforts but that it cares about doing well and collects shareable data on its progress.
The AMA website highlights what their Joy in Medicine partner healthcare organizations are doing to excel in reducing burnout while increasing professional joy, workplace meaning, and good health for physicians.
To-Dos for a Healthful Locums Assignment
October 15, 2024 | All Star Healthcare Solutions
Locums providers often feel rejuvenated by assignments. A different setting, patient population, or other change breaks routine and expands skills, which can reduce the chance of burnout. However, because of these changes, you must also ensure you continue taking care of your daily needs.
- Healthful nutrition: Pack preferred items, at least enough to last until you’re settled in and know where the grocery store is. Consider setting up deliveries to your temporary home if you have specific dietary needs. Research farmers markets and other sources for local foods.
- Restorative sleep: A new setting will have positive and negative distractions that can disrupt sleep. Establish a mindful bedtime routine and stick with it.
- Exercise: Maintain (or improve) your physical activity by exploring your new home: stroll through the shopping district, hike or bike nearby trails, try out a new gym, or even schedule your assignment in a way that allows you to participate in an athletic competition in your temporary town.
- Social connections: Accept invitations to socialize with your new colleagues and extend some of your own. Reconnect with friends or family who live near your new home and meet other community members. Continue to make time to communicate with your loved ones back home.
Consider what else you need for continued physical and mental health while on assignment and make sure you’ve packed accordingly before heading out.
Doctor’s Notes
Radiologists Are in Demand—and This Knowledge Can Inform Negotiations
October 5, 2024 | KevinMD.com
Over the past five years, salaries for radiology have nearly doubled and utilization has exploded, leaving many hospitals scrambling to fill their radiologic needs. At the same time, radiology as a triaging tool has become lucrative for many hospital systems. This has created unprecedented leverage for these physicians, who are re-evaluating how they work.
For many radiologists, this feels like a significant shift in how their profession is viewed within the hospital system. At one point, they worked outside the everyday focus, but now they are an integral part of the system and are in a position to collaborate to gain competitive ground in negotiations.
Understanding the different job opportunities and models, including locums, provides radiologists with more choice, and more power to negotiate. In addition to keeping up-to-date on compensation trends, it is imperative radiologists share information about their experiences and contracts with colleagues and remove the silence that surrounds these topics. Successful negotiations for one can translate into success for others.
Using Technology to Moderate Causes and Symptoms of the Physician Shortage
October 6, 2024 | KevinMD.com
The Podcast by KevinMD recently discussed technology alleviating causes and symptoms of the physician shortage with Dr. Patrick Hunt, an emergency physician and medical group physician executive. Dr. Hunt is also a leader in medical software and AI companies.
Hunt sees technology as able to quickly address two issues exacerbating the physician shortage:
- Credentialing—Offering visibility into the multi-step process to help prevent it from getting bogged down
- Scheduling—Calculating the numerous variables to build efficient schedules
Hunt suggests that technology can smooth current processes, and as the technology improves, it may help healthcare leadership create better processes.
Webinar: Alaska Awaits: Your Future in Rural Emergency Medicine
November 7, 2024, 4 p.m. Eastern | Wilderness Medical Staffing
The “Alaska Awaits: Your Future in Rural Emergency Medicine” webinar offers healthcare employers and locum tenens staffing agencies insights into working in remote Alaska. Hosted by Wilderness Medical Staffing, this event will showcase firsthand experiences of a physician assistant and nurse practitioner who have cared for patients in Alaska’s most underserved areas. They’ll discuss the challenges and rewards of rural locum tenens assignments, covering the logistics, cultural adaptation, and skills necessary for success in such remote environments. The panel will also advise providers on preparing for assignments and highlight Wilderness Medical Staffing’s support in matching healthcare providers with appropriate opportunities.
Sponsored Content
How Medical License Reciprocity Unlocks New Career Opportunities for Physicians & APPs
October 17, 2024 | OnCall Solutions
Travel is part of the allure of working locums, so it’s common for locums providers to hold multiple medical licenses. Obtaining each license can feel overwhelming because each state has its own requirements and timelines. However, by working with the Interstate Medical Licensure Company (IMLC), providers can take an expedited path to licensure in, currently, 42 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia.
OnCall Solutions offers a simple online guide through the IMLC application process:
- Identify your primary state, also known as your State of Principle License.
- Gather all necessary documentation and submit your application.
- Receive your Letter of Qualification once your eligibility has been verified.
- Apply for licenses in other IMLC-participating states.
- Stay in compliance with each state’s renewals and continuing education requirements.
More details on each step, plus concrete suggestions for managing several state licenses at once, are on OnCall’s website.
Interim Physicians Secures Immediate, Long-Term Hospitalist NP Coverage for a Rural New Hampshire Hospital
September 21, 2024 | Interim Physicians
It is wise for locums providers to work with staffing agencies for several reasons, including that recruiters maintain relationships with healthcare organizations so they know about job opportunities as soon as they open, and often before they are publicized.
A recent example is Interim Physicians swiftly addressing an urgent staffing need for a rural New Hampshire hospital by providing a hospitalist nurse practitioner within a week of securing the search. The hospital, facing a sudden vacancy and needing coverage for five months, benefited from Interim’s prompt and efficient process. Interim’s Senior Account Executive, Jaron Leake, maintained constant communication with the hospital, ensuring alignment between the hospital’s scheduling needs and candidate availability. Within a week, Interim had three qualified candidates ready to fill the role, offering the hospital flexibility and assurance they would be covered.
The hospital system, which had worked with other locum agencies before, was impressed with Interim’s responsiveness and the quality of candidates. The success of this collaboration led the system to request additional staffing for a sister hospital in Maine, where Interim quickly provided a hospitalist. Interim’s commitment to consistent communication, rapid response, and quality candidates set them apart, solidifying their reputation as a reliable partner for locum tenens staffing needs.
