Demystifying Locum Tenens: A Comprehensive Guide to the Process

Healthcare facilities are increasingly turning to locum tenens providers to help them provide the care their patients need and expect. Doing so gives them a flexible, cost-effective solution for covering staffing shortages, temporary increases in patient volumes, and other situations. Locum tenens providers can fill both short-term and long-term staffing needs as well as both planned and unexpected ones. 

That said, recruiting, credentialing, and hiring locum tenens providers can seem complicated and even overwhelming on the surface. As such, many healthcare facilities shy away from this route, and they miss out on numerous benefits as a result. Better understanding the locum tenens process and having the right resources to draw from can help you reap the full rewards of this staffing solution. 

Delving Deeper into the Locum Tenens Process

Your first step in the locum tenens hiring process is to determine your specific needs and expectations. How long will you need a temporary staff member? What are the qualifications for the position you’re looking to fill?

Your reasons for hiring a locum tenens provider are important here as well. Do you need someone to fill in for a permanent staff member during a vacation or maternity leave? Did someone unexpectedly leave your facility? Are you restructuring or opening a new department? Answering those questions and determining exactly what you need in a locum tenens provider will help you get the process started and ensure you find the right candidate for the job. From there, you can move forward.

VMS Software

Once you’ve determined your needs and goals, the previously mentioned resources come into play. VMS software is one of the most helpful. It can connect you with highly qualified candidates who are looking for assignments to fill. With the right platform, you’ll have access to databases from multiple staffing agencies, which greatly improves your chances of finding the perfect provider for your facility. 

Reviewing Candidates

Once the software provides you with a list of candidates, you’ll need to sort through them to determine which ones might best meet your needs and expectations. Keep in mind that basic qualifications aren’t the only factors to consider. You’ll need to know whether the candidates are available when you need them, willing to come to your area, and a good fit for your team. You’ll eventually narrow down your options to a select few. 

Credentialing

Credentialing is another crucial step in the locum tenens process. As is the case with all medical professionals, you’ll need to ensure the candidates you’re most interested in meet all education, training, and licensing requirements and other prerequisites for the industry and your facility. This process can be complex and time consuming, but VMS software can cover it for you. 

Negotiating and Contracts

Next, you’ll need to discuss your terms and possibly negotiate them with your potential locum tenens provider. Some of the terms you may end up negotiating are the pay, schedule, and job responsibilities. Once the two of you agree on the terms of the assignment, you’ll sign a formal contract. 

Onboarding

When the time comes for your locum tenens provider to start working with your team, he or she will complete the onboarding process. You’ll provide comprehensive orientation materials, set up the provider with IT and EMR training and access, and carry out other measures. A solid onboarding process will smoothly integrate your locum tenen’s provider into your team and set him or her up for success with your facility. 

Benefiting From Locum Tenens Providers

Locum tenens providers can bring numerous benefits to your facility. Understanding how the recruiting and hiring process works can help you make the most of these invaluable members of the healthcare field. At the same time, making full use of the resources available to you, including VMS software, can make the entire process faster and simpler and enable you to take full advantage of all the potential benefits of making locum tenens providers part of your team.