| Multiple Factors Contribute to Difficulty in Recruiting | | | | growth. * The majority of physicians are choosing to |
| Quality Physicians, Industry Founder Details How | | | | practice in metro areas, 88 percent from 1991 to 2001, |
| Locum Tenens Coverage Can Help | | | | causing a maldistribution and leaving rural areas |
| Salt Lake City, UtahMay 26, 2006 In urban and rural | | | | underserved. * The increasing cost of malpractice |
| communities across the country, the realities of an | | | | insurance is causing doctors to leave "in crisis" states. * |
| intensifying physician shortage are significantly | | | | A large number of "Baby Boomer" doctors are |
| impacting access to quality patient care. Healthcare | | | | reaching retirement age at the same time that their |
| facilities of all sizes compete for the same limited | | | | patients are seeking out more medical care than any |
| supply of qualified physicians, putting a great deal of | | | | previous generation. * Women now make up more |
| pressure on recruitment departments. Therus C. Kolff, | | | | than half of all medical school applicants and are more |
| MD, MPH, is founder of the locum tenens, or | | | | likely to expect flexible work options and fewer |
| temporary physician, industry and chairman of the | | | | working hours. * Doctors of both genders insist upon a |
| board for VISTA Staffing Solutions, discussed these | | | | better work-life balance than their predecessors did. * |
| challenges recently with hospital CEOs as a featured | | | | International medical graduates, who constitute 30+ |
| speaker at Community Health Systems' 2006 | | | | percent of the total number of doctors in the United |
| Physician Recruiting Seminar, May 25 and 26, in Cool | | | | States, are under increasing immigration and temporary |
| Springs, TN. He reported that locum tenens staffing | | | | worker constraints, which inhibits their ability to augment |
| firms are poised to fill the gap and offer a viable and | | | | the physician workforce. |
| cost-effective solution to communities that are | | | | Since Kolff founded the locum tenens industry in 1979, |
| scrambling to meet the growing demand for | | | | the number of physicians who practice as locum |
| physicians. | | | | tenens at some point in their careers has increased |
| For many years, Kolff says, organizations in other | | | | from 4 to 20 percent. Most consider temporary |
| industries have utilized a contingent workforce as a | | | | assignments at three distinct stages: 1) as young |
| sound business strategy, ranging from 9 percent in the | | | | physicians just out of residency, 2) at mid-career as a |
| manufacturing industry to 3 percent in service and | | | | result of practice or career changes, and 3) as they |
| retail companies. "Today, smart healthcare | | | | approach retirement. |
| organizations are likewise seeing the tremendous value | | | | As more physicians choose a locum tenens practice, |
| of a contingent, or locum tenens, workforce." He | | | | the overall "reputation" of the industry has also |
| explains, "Physicians are not only primary healthcare | | | | improved. Healthcare administrators used to worry |
| providers, they are also revenue generators. When | | | | about a temporary physician's qualifications when, in |
| healthcare facilities are short-staffed, fewer patients | | | | fact, the extensive and continual credentials review |
| are seen and less income is generated. Temporary | | | | that locum tenens undergo makes them among the |
| physicians help hospitals and physician practice groups | | | | most investigated doctors anywhere. "We call it life in |
| meet increasing demands for care, maintain patient | | | | the fishbowl," Kolff says. "To become a locum tenens |
| satisfaction and keep referral systems intact, and they | | | | physician, you have to be willing to have your |
| ensure a continued revenue stream." | | | | credentials checked and rechecked by the staffing |
| For example, in 2004, a major national healthcare | | | | firm - and the healthcare facility, every time you go on |
| organization conducted a cost analysis of 330 days of | | | | assignment. Poorly qualified doctors don't tend to |
| locum tenens coverage. Temporary physicians | | | | welcome that level of scrutiny." |
| generated $1,745,996 in billable revenue at the cost of | | | | Today, there are more than 28,000 physicians in the |
| $522,855 for their services, which added $523,799 to | | | | United States who are practicing as locum tenens. In |
| the hospital's income. Going without physician coverage | | | | increasing numbers, highly-qualified locum tenens are |
| during this same period would have resulted in zero | | | | helping to meet the growing need for qualified |
| billings. | | | | physicians by serving as a valuable resource during |
| Acknowledging that the physician shortage is "only | | | | the often-lengthy physician recruitment process, for |
| going to get worse," Kolff cites the following | | | | rural communities that have difficulty attracting |
| contributing factors: * The number of medical school | | | | permanent physicians, and as medical staffing needs |
| graduates is not keeping up with U.S. population | | | | fluctuate. |