What Locum Tenens Is and How It Can Help You

Did you know that the term “locum tenens” is derived from Latin, meaning “to hold the place of” or “to substitute for”? Historically, this concept has been applied in various professions, notably in medicine and clergy, where temporary replacements are essential to maintain continuous service. 

In healthcare, locum tenens refers to physicians or advanced practice providers who temporarily fill in for other clinicians during periods of absence, such as for vacations, medical leave, high patient volume, or staff vacancies. This practice ensures that patient care remains uninterrupted, even when permanent staff members are unavailable. 

The modern locums industry began in 1979, aiming to address physician shortages in rural areas. Today, it has evolved into a vital component of healthcare delivery, offering flexible staffing solutions to facilities nationwide.

Our concierge approach was the first of its kind when Floyd Lee Locums launched in 2017, offering clinicians and clients a personalized, flexible staffing solution.

The Benefits of Locums

Locum tenens staffing offers significant advantages for healthcare facilities and the providers who choose this career path. Below are a few notable benefits of locum tenens for each party.

1. Addressing Staffing Gaps

For Facilities: Healthcare facilities often face staffing challenges due to unexpected absences, surges in patient volumes, or prolonged vacancies. Locums professionals can be quickly deployed to fill these gaps, ensuring that patient care remains uninterrupted.

For Clinicians: The locums workstyle allows clinicians to step into positions where their skills are most needed, offering the satisfaction of making an immediate and meaningful impact. Providers also enjoy the opportunity to choose assignments that align with their expertise and preferences, including schedule, location, and experience.

2. Ensuring Continuity of Care

For Facilities: By incorporating locums physicians and clinicians into their staffing plan, facilities maintain consistent patient care standards. These professionals are adept at seamlessly adapting to various clinical settings and cultures, upholding the quality of care patients expect.

For Clinicians: Locums offers the chance to work in diverse settings and gain new experiences. This can broaden a provider’s skills, build their confidence, add to their resume, and enhance their adaptability.

3. Preventing Burnout

For Facilities: Overworked permanent staff can experience burnout, affecting provider well-being and patient outcomes. Locums staffing offers a flexible and scalable solution by providing temporary providers to fill gaps in coverage, allowing full-time staff to take necessary breaks and reducing the risk of burnout.

For Clinicians: Locums work inherently offers flexibility, giving clinicians control over their schedules and workload. This freedom allows providers to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively, reducing the likelihood of burnout while still pursuing purposeful work.

By incorporating locum tenens into healthcare staffing strategies, facilities can meet their operational needs, and providers can enjoy fulfilling, flexible, and diverse career opportunities. Together, they contribute to a more sustainable and effective healthcare delivery model.

The Concierge Approach: A Cut Above

At Floyd Lee Locums, we offer a unique approach to locum tenens staffing. We were born out of a desire to provide best-in-class service and support so you can focus on patient care. We serve more than 50 specialties across the United States from Allergy to Vascular Surgery. We prioritize taking care of real people – YOU. Our work is personal because you take care of us.

For Clinicians:

• Personalized Support: We will pre-fill forms, verify licenses, coordinate travel arrangements, and only connect you opportunities that align with your goals and ambitions. Our Healthcare Consultants are focused on your specialty and provide years of expertise for you.
• 24/7 Availability: Our team offers round-the-clock support to address any needs or emergencies that may arise during and between assignments.
• Lifestyle Concierge Service: Beyond professional support, we assist with personal arrangements, too, including updating your CV, identifying a church or daycare at your new assignment, or selecting a gift for your spouse. Whatever we can take off your plate so you can focus on patient care, we will.

For Healthcare Facilities:

• Transparent Pricing: We provide clear, surprise-free invoicing tailored to your facility’s budget, ensuring financial clarity and a staffing plan that always has your back. We’ll even analyze your budget with you to ensure we can provide a return on investment you’ll be proud to show off at your next budget meeting.
• Customized Staffing Solutions: We match facilities with clinicians whose skills and experiences align with the unique requirements of the position and your facility’s culture, ensuring optimal fit and performance.
• Administrative Support: We’ll verify professional education, training, job history, background checks, and licenses or certifications. We follow your protocols for credentialing and ensure everything is accurate and complete when submitted to you. We also handle all travel, accommodations, and contract negotiation.

Ready to Connect?

At Floyd Lee Locums, we’re committed to providing you with concierge service that puts your needs first. We understand that your work matters, but you matter, too.

Our CEO, Natasha Lee, says, “At Floyd Lee Locums, we live by the motto, ‘By connecting clinicians to purposeful work, we impact lives. We go out of our way every day to make sure we’re exemplifying our values and being a true resource and support system for the clinicians and clients we work with. We truly get up every single day and ask ourselves, ‘How do we have impact today?’”

Are you ready to leverage the power of concierge locums? We are here to guide you through the process, answer your questions, and be your locums concierge.