Locum tenens staffing is essential for healthcare organizations to fill gaps in coverage and meet patient demand. Finding and keeping quality locum tenens providers can be challenging. Follow this guide to optimize your locum recruitment strategy.
Define Your Needs
When hiring locum tenens, it’s important to define your needs upfront. Consider the specialty, duration of coverage, schedule requirements, expected patient volume, and acuity level. Think about skills needed, such as the ability to work independently and their comfort with EHR systems. Defining needs helps set expectations and find the right locum provider for your practice. Clear communication about requirements and responsibilities is key for a successful locum tenens placement that provides coverage without disrupting care. Share this information when contacting Locumsmart to get qualified professionals suitable for open positions.
Streamline Onboarding
Locums can be a great way to provide coverage and flexibility, but onboarding them smoothly is key. Develop online orientation modules they can access remotely to introduce policies and procedures. Provide quick reference guides on commonly used protocols and equipment. Assign each locum a mentor for questions during shifts. Automate credentialing and paperwork as much as possible for a fast, minimal-friction experience. With the right systems in place, locums can plug right in and be productive members of the care team.
Offer Competitive Compensation
To attract top-tier locum talent in a tight marketplace, your pay rates and benefits package must be competitive. Compensation should align with specific skills, experience, and regional norms. Offering incentives like sign-on bonuses or help with licensing and relocation costs also helps with recruiting.
Align Recruiting with Scheduling
Coordinate recruiting with scheduling to ensure you find providers at optimal times. Look 6-12 weeks ahead at upcoming needs so you’re not scrambling last minute. For hard-to-fill roles, over-recruit by presenting offers to multiple candidates in case some decline.
Ensure Positive Experiences
To encourage locums to return and maximize retention, ensure they have positive experiences. Check with locums regularly to address any concerns. Provide proper onboarding and orientation, along with introductions to key staff. Assign them a mentor for support and supply all access credentials and facility information ahead.
Prioritize Fit
The best locums are those who mesh well with your workplace culture, besides having the required skills. Assess if prospects’ work styles and personalities align. Have potential locums interview with permanent staff who will work alongside them. Look for mutual enthusiasm before making an offer.
Offer Conversion Options
When employing locum doctors, it’s beneficial to offer a conversion option to a permanent position. This motivates high-quality locums to work for your organization and provides you with a pool of pre-vetted candidates if a permanent role opens. Be transparent about eligibility and the timeline for conversion. Highlight the benefits and perks of being a permanent employee. Offering an eventual path to permanency shows you value your locums and want to keep top talent, leading to better care quality and continuity for patients.
Track Metrics
Analyze metrics like applications, interviews, offers, acceptance rate, retention, and provider satisfaction scores. Identify what works and where gaps exist so you can fine-tune strategies over time. A data-driven approach is key for continuous recruitment optimization.
Prioritizing locum tenens recruitment and retention pays dividends. By following these best practices, you’ll build a network of qualified providers ready to provide coverage whenever regular staff is unavailable. Optimized recruiting maximizes patient access to care while minimizing disruptions.