AMN Survey: 30% of Residents Say They Want a Do-Over
9/28/2023
Despite a robust and fiercely competitive healthcare job market, 30% of residents say that if given a do-over, they would not choose medicine as their career.
AMN Healthcare’s 2023 Survey of Final-Year Medical Residents showed the majority of residents (56%) received more than 100 or more job solicitations. However, residents said burnout, work-life balance struggles, and the weight of accumulating student loan debt are pushing them out the door. Results also showed that more female physicians expressed reservations about their career choice than males.
The research highlights the persistent shortage of healthcare professionals in the US, particularly in underserved rural regions, where medical residents enjoy exceptionally favorable job prospects. The increased demand has also led to many institutions offering new residents increased incentives and lucrative salary packages.
Both male and female residents received numerous job solicitations, but male residents reported slightly more than their female counterparts. Eighty-one percent of male residents received 51 or more job solicitations, compared to 72% of female residents.
The AMN survey also found that 81% of residents experienced burnout during their residency, a significant factor contributing to doubts about their career choices. Among residents, lifestyle and personal time are what’s most important to them when evaluating job opportunities, with 82% prioritizing “lifestyle,” followed by “adequate personal time,” “good financial packages,” and then geographic location.
Rural communities face recruitment challenges, as only 4% of residents prefer practicing in communities with populations of 25,000 or fewer. This trend aligns with findings from nursing, where 29% of nurses considered leaving the field, significantly up from 11% in a 2020 survey.
For a comprehensive overview of the current job market for healthcare providers, check out the full article from Healthcare Finance News.
La Vida Locum
MPLT: How Locums Staffing Agencies Help Facilities Find Better Candidates
10/9/2023
Healthcare employers facing hiring challenges can benefit from partnering with healthcare staffing agencies to address common bottlenecks in the hiring process.
As demand for healthcare professionals continues to grow, staffing firms offer several advantages:
1. Access to top candidates: Staffing firms provide access to highly qualified candidates, reducing the time spent on candidate screening and vetting. Matching candidates with the necessary skills and qualifications is crucial for filling positions quickly and maintaining productivity.
2. Streamlined hiring: Hiring new physicians can take weeks to months, but staffing firms expedite the process, minimizing disruptions. Specialized healthcare recruiters ensure a smooth and comprehensive hiring experience for employers and candidates, ensuring the best fit and a seamless transition into new roles.
3. Improved communication: Effective communication is key in healthcare hiring. Staffing firms act as intermediaries, facilitating transparent communication between hiring managers and new hires. They work closely with facilities to identify candidate criteria and ensure candidates understand the employment opportunity.
For healthcare facilities struggling to find and hire the right physicians, partnering with specialized staffing agencies can enhance their staffing strategies. Agencies can offer tailored recruitment solutions to meet the unique needs of healthcare employers, ultimately benefiting both parties.
Read the full article from MPLT Healthcare to learn more about the benefits of partnering with staffing agencies.
VISTA: The Expanding Role of Physician Assistants in Meeting Healthcare Demand
10/4/2023
In celebration of National Physician Assistants Week last week, VISTA Staffing wrote a blog post highlighting the role of physician assistants in modern healthcare and the growing need for PAs to address healthcare shortages.
Initially introduced to address healthcare shortages in the mid-20th century, PAs have evolved into integral members of healthcare teams. They receive rigorous education and training, enabling them to diagnose, treat, and manage various medical conditions under physician supervision.
The adaptability and versatility of PAs led to a growing population of PAs entering the workforce. This rise in interest is crucial in addressing healthcare workforce shortages, especially in underserved areas in the US where PAs help provide primary and specialty care.
There are a variety of clinical specialties like primary care, surgery, and emergency medicine for PAs, or they can explore non-clinical roles in education, administration, and research. PAs also significantly contribute to specialized healthcare fields like dermatology, cardiology, and orthopedics, enhancing patient outcomes and care quality.
The future looks promising for PAs in healthcare because of their increased demands and an aging population of physicians. Delve into the ever-expanding role of PAs and their vital contributions to modern healthcare in the full article from VISTA Staffing.
Locum Leaders
Weatherby Healthcare Names its “PA Locum Tenens of The Year”
10/6/2023
Weatherby Healthcare recently announced the recipient of its 2023 Physician’s Assistant Locum Tenens of the Year award. According to Weatherby, this recognition goes to a PA who demonstrates a passion for locum tenens work, provides exceptional quality of care, and is committed to serving underserved communities.
This year’s recipient, Dale Lacher, PA-C, is a Vietnam War veteran who, after the war, enrolled in the first physician assistant program in the United States at Duke University, graduating in 1975.
Dale’s career began with his first job working alongside renowned heart surgeon Dr. Denton Cooley, performing 30 surgeries daily. In the past seven years, Dale has been a locum tenens provider with Weatherby Healthcare, serving in 13 states and consistently receiving exceptional reviews.
To read more about Lacher’s inspiring journey and contributions to healthcare, check out the article from Weatherby.
Floyd Lee Locums Earns Top Spot on “Best Place to Work In Healthcare” List
10/3/2023
Floyd Lee Locums was awarded “the Best Place to Work in Healthcare” at the Modern Healthcare 2023 Awards Gala in Chicago. Floyd Lee beat out 75 healthcare supplier organizations across the United States to clinch the top spot.
The selection process for Modern Healthcare’s “Best Places to Wor”k list involves an evaluation of employee contentment, benefits programs, work-life balance initiatives, professional growth opportunities, and other factors contributing to a positive work environment.
CEO Natasha Lee expressed gratitude for the recognition and said she was inspired by her employees’ dedication to connecting physicians and advanced practiced providers to “purposeful work.”
“We are honored and humbled to be No. 1 on Modern Healthcare’s ‘Best Place to Work’ list. It demonstrates the focus we’ve placed on creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered while placing an emphasis on mental health and their robust personal lives,” says Lee.
Floyd Lee Locums also secured first place in individual categories at the Gala for “Best Place to Work for Millennials” and “Healthiest Place to Work.” The company aims to continue positively impacting the healthcare industry.
See the complete release from Floyd Lee Locums here.
Wellhart Announces Expansion Into High-Demand Locum Tenens Markets
10/10/2023
Locum tenens agency Wellhart has expanded into the anesthesiologist, CRNA, radiologist, hospitalist, and emergency medicine verticals.
Wellhart, a sister company of Barton Associates, one of the largest locum tenens staffing firms in the US, is actively vetting and adding healthcare provider specialties to its database of locum tenens professionals. Wellhart’s staffing consultants have already begun connecting these specialists with their facility partners.
President of Wellhart, MaryAnn Stolgitis, says the company’s committed to addressing the healthcare staffing shortage by recruiting and staffing these specialized providers since they are in high demand in the current marketplace.
While Wellhart has been connecting physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants with various healthcare facilities, Stolgitis says this expansion marks a strategic move towards serving critical staffing needs in anesthesiology and radiology.
Read about the expansion in the release from PR Newswire or visit Wellhart’s website for more info.
Hire Power
Learn About GSA Schedule 621 I for Healthcare Staffing in NALTO’s Upcoming Webinar
10/6/2023
The National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations will host a webinar on the Federal Supply Schedule (Schedule 621 I) on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. ET.
During the webinar, attendees can discuss the healthcare staffing component of Schedule 621 I, which dictates specific requirements applicable to Schedule contractors. The Federal Supply Schedule, specifically GSA (Schedule 621 I), is a government contract vehicle that enables qualified businesses to provide a wide range of healthcare staffing services to government facilities.
It simplifies the procurement process by offering pre-negotiated terms and pricing, allowing government agencies to secure the staff they need for healthcare services efficiently.
What will you get out of the presentation? We will focus on the unique requirements imposed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs and requirements that apply to Schedule contractors.
When is the presentation? Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. ET
How do I sign up? Visit this link now to get added to the list.
Making the Rounds
Telehealth Usage in the US Declines by nearly 6% in July, FAIR Health Reports
10/3/2023
Telehealth usage in the United States experienced a 5.6% decline in July, dropping to 5.1% of all private insurance and Medicare Advantage claims from 5.4% in June, according to FAIR Health’s monthly tracker.
The South witnessed the most significant decrease in telehealth usage, with a 9.3% drop from June to July. In July, the median charge for a telehealth visit stood at $211.49, with a median allowed amount of $97.93.
Mental health conditions dominated telehealth diagnoses nationally, representing nearly 69% of telehealth claims. While this trend was consistent across regions, the Northeast saw a slight decrease from 76.6% of telehealth claims in June to 75.9% in July.
Other prominent telehealth claims included developmental disorders, joint/soft tissue diseases, and endocrine and metabolic disorders. In the Midwest, sleep disorders climbed from fifth to third place in telehealth diagnoses rankings between June and July.
Additionally, the percentage of asynchronous telehealth claims for hypertension increased nationally from 13.2% in June to 14% in July. This rise occurred in most regions except the Northeast, where it decreased slightly. Hypertension overtook mental health conditions as the leading asynchronous telehealth claim in the Midwest, showcasing the changing landscape of telehealth diagnoses.
You can read the full article on HealthLeaders Media for more detailed insights.
Hospital CFOs Face Balancing Competitive Pay vs. Controlling Expenses for Physicians
9/22/2023
Physician compensation is rising, with increased starting salaries and signing bonuses. The compensation increase created an extremely competitive landscape for hospitals. The pressure on hospitals to attract and retain talent necessitates a balancing act for Chief Financial Officers between offering competitive pay and controlling their overall expenses.
Recent data indicates a significant increase in signing bonuses for physicians, from $31,000 in 2022 to over $37,000 in 2023, and a 12% year-over-year increase in starting salary offers for specialists.
Getting physicians into your hospital is important, but getting physicians to stay is essential. Studies have shown that the direct costs of physician turnover can total more than $6,000 per incoming physician, primarily because of additional clinical coverage and recruitment efforts.
Additionally, newly hired physicians can be less productive than seasoned docs, leading to reduced revenue. Hospitals are actively seeking ways to cut down turnover, with some successfully reducing it through talent acquisition strategies and market adjustments in compensation.
CFOs might reduce dependence on contingent labor to improve hospital finances. By retaining physicians and reducing turnover, hospitals can decrease their reliance on contract labor, which surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. If hospitals move away from contract labor, they could start focusing on incentivizing physicians with bonus programs and other non-monetary benefits to attract and retain talent.
In the long run, investing in staff retention and competitive compensation appears to be the path hospitals take to ensure financial stability. Read more on the plight of hospital CFOs in this article from HealthLeaders Media.
Second Opinion
Mixed Reviews for Dollar General’s Rural Mobile Clinics Located in Parking Lots
10/9/2023
Dollar General recently introduced mobile clinics in partnership with DocGo On-Demand to help close the gap in rural healthcare delivery. These mobile facilities, in the parking lots of their stores in rural areas across the country, offer patients preventive care, urgent care, and chronic condition management services.
The DG Wellbeing initiative accepts Medicaid/TennCare, Medicare, and specific plans from major health insurers, with rates starting at $69 for those without insurance. Despite being located in federally designated primary care shortage areas, some customers have hesitated to use these clinics, citing concerns about receiving healthcare treatment in a parking lot.
The clinics are staffed by licensed nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, or physicians. Some healthcare professionals believe Dollar General may be underestimating the complexity of healthcare delivery. However, there are also voices of support and satisfaction from community members who appreciate the convenience and accessibility these mobile clinics offer while also sparing area residents who may need to travel for care.
Check out the full article from Becker’s Hospital Review to learn more about these “little clinics on wheels.”
States Taking Independent Action to Bridge Physician Gap in Rural Areas
10/9/2023
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) recently published an article showing that despite federal funding for 400 new residency slots, only 20 of those residents are spending more than half their time in rural shortage areas. In an opinion article by Jonathon Wolfson of the Cicero Institute for The Center Square, Wolfson suggests the research from JAMA shows the persistent lack of physicians in these regions.
Nationally, the US faces a shortage of 124,000 physicians by 2035, with 80% of rural areas being medically underserved. Several states adopted innovative approaches to tackle this shortage. Missouri now offers a pathway for medical school graduates who still need to complete residency training. Idaho is funding additional residency slots independently, and Tennessee is opening doors to doctors licensed outside the US. These states are granting licenses to already-trained, practicing physicians, providing immediate relief to patients in need.
With the population growing and a few new doctors completing residency, access to healthcare in rural areas has become increasingly challenging, with pregnant women having to travel long distances for care and primary care visits having longer wait times. States like Tennessee, Colorado, Illinois, and Idaho are taking proactive steps to address this crisis by facilitating the licensing of international physicians, who are more likely to serve underserved communities. These states require international doctors to meet specific criteria, including foreign licensure, years of practice, passing standardized tests, and proficiency in English.
As rural healthcare shortages persist, Wolfson advocates for states to take action and not solely rely on federal solutions, emphasizing that international doctors can be an immediate solution to this pressing problem. To read the article and go deeper into the rural healthcare shortage issue, check out the Op-Ed or read the report from JAMA.
