How to Optimize Medical Hiring Using Locum Tenens Resources

As any human resources professional will tell you, there are both overt and hidden costs to hiring a new employee. This is no different for medical hiring.

According to recent research by Deloitte, the cost of hiring a new employee is, on average, $4,000 over 24 days. For a medical professional, whose talents and expertise are in demand because of the nationwide (and growing) shortage of physicians, those costs will skyrocket due to increased talent acquisition expenses. If you are looking to bring that talent into a rural area that cost may be astronomical. If the hire doesn't work, or leaves soon after being hired, that's wasted money. Contract negotiations can also lead to unexpected absences. Any coverage delays can impact your reputation in the community, turning your client base to other healthcare alternatives.

Hiring managers and healthcare system leadership need to directly address these costs and the risks; it can be a disaster waiting to happen. You need to keep a strong pipeline of talent and expertise available to manage patient and community demands and protect existing employees. That's where locum tenens can help.

Using Locum Tenens to Optimize Hiring

Many healthcare systems are leveraging the locum tenens to reduce risks and expenses, and ensure coverage, during the hiring process. Here's how they do it:

‍Overcoming Location Challenges

‍Locum tenens can cover new and existing locations, even rural practices, during the hiring process. They can add revenue and build the patient base while you find the right hire. This keeps your medical hiring team from scrambling to bring on the first available professional. You can show the cost benefit and ensure there is enough workflow for the new hire before putting a permanent resource in place.

‍Capitalize on Diversity

‍Selecting the right doctor for a position isn't easy. Do you hire a young provider, or select a professional with a wealth of experience and a portfolio to match? Do you hire with diversity in mind? After all, studies show that a cultural divide between doctor and patient can have lasting consequences. With locum tenens resources, you can take the time to review the options for a new hire. Test whether a younger doctor would have more success in the position, or an older, experienced doctor is necessary. Work with the locum tenens provider to bring in staff with the diversity you may need.

‍Make the Right Choice

‍For some healthcare systems or facilities, losing a staff member can be a disaster. The other staff struggles to cover, and leaderships feels pressure to fill in the gap as fast as possible. This can lead to problems. Mistakes can be made, not only with patients, but also in the hiring process. With locum tenens, you can take the time you need to find the right hire, rather than the immediate hire even during an extended search. Find the doctor that meets your long-term goals for the position.

Take the Risk out of Medical Hiring

Locum tenens creates an opportunity for informed, calculated decisions. The providers support the talent pipeline; and in many instances, they are eventually hired full-time after accumulating a built-in client base and trust among their colleagues.

‍Contact Health Carousel Locum Tenens today to see how locum tenens can improve medical hiring for you.