Have you heard of locum tenens healthcare staff?
Also known as travel professionals, a locum tenens is someone (in this case a medical practitioner) who temporarily assumes the role of another. In some facilities, locum tenens coverage may be needed sporadically (e.g. for a day or a week at a time) while in others, long-term coverage may be required due to an absence or vacancy of a regular employee. While many practitioners do locum work to supplement their regular income, others have turned it into a full-time career because they enjoy the freedom, flexibility, and opportunity to travel.
When Might You Need a Locum?
There are many reasons why a healthcare facility might need to hire a locum Physiotherapist or Medical Imaging Technologist. Someone may be on parental leave or taking extended personal time off, or the facility may be experiencing a surge in demand for certain services. Whatever the reason for the opening, locum healthcare professionals like physiotherapists, Ultrasound Technologists, and X-Ray Technologists are vital. Across the country, they fill those gaps in healthcare that can interrupt patient services.
When you need this type of qualified and experienced help, you can source the best candidates through a healthcare staffing agency with an extensive pool of pre-vetted locum personnel. Whether you are looking for an extra hand in your physio department or a temporary Laboratory Technologist to keep those test results coming, a staffing agency can help you keep your facility running smoothly.
How a Healthcare Staffing Agency Can Help
Improve Productivity By Saving Time
Training new employees can take several days, which can be time-consuming when you’re dealing with a backlog. Even if the person has the right credentials, orientations can be extensive, especially if they’re new to their profession and have little experience with your facility’s processes and equipment.
A healthcare staffing agency will ensure that every Physiotherapist or Technologist they offer has the necessary qualifications before starting work. Consequently, you get candidates who are ready to start working right away without a lot of orientation. Professionals who travel a lot tend to adapt to new environments a lot more quickly, which is a bonus when you need help clearing a packed schedule.
Provide Access to a Wider Talent Pool
You will find it easier to fill temporary positions with skilled professionals through a healthcare staffing agency, especially if your facility is in a more remote location where the talent pool isn’t as great. For example, if you manage a clinic in the Northwest Territories and your CLXT Technologist has to take an emergency leave of absence, your options aren’t limited to your community alone. A Technologist in Toronto who’s always wanted to explore Canada’s northern regions can step in to assist until your employee returns.
Due to staff shortages, there are millions of open healthcare positions across Canada. As a result, healthcare facilities are competing for workers, and it can be difficult securing skilled temporary help. When you have a strong relationship with a staffing agency that specializes in locum healthcare professionals, you are able to access qualified personnel when you need them, which reduces your worry about filling vacancies.
Ensure You Work With Top Talent
It’s no surprise that healthcare companies place higher expectations on their employees. While working with a healthcare staffing agency, you won’t have to weed out under-qualified candidates in order to access the top talent. With reputable staffing agencies, all locum personnel must undergo arduous assessments and questionnaires before they are even considered for a job.
At ProMed HR Solutions, we make sure every candidate we recommend is suitable for the position in question by reviewing resumes, verifying licenses, and conducting background checks. Healthcare organizations can rest assured they are only getting the most qualified people for the job.
Quicker Hiring Process
Hiring can take a lot of time. Placing job ads, sifting through resumes, and conducting interviews are all activities that can increase your administrative burden when you’re already short-staffed. If the candidate doesn’t work out, you’re back to square one while scheduling pressures mount.
A healthcare staffing agency will find suitable candidates for you more quickly, which is important when an employee has to take time off without a lot of notice. Although many agencies typically require some notice before sending you a candidate, others can accommodate emergencies. In either case, you’ll have the help you need much sooner than you would have if you advertised for the position.
You Never Know When You Will Need Temporary Staffing!
In recent years, locum tenens staffing has steadily increased, with more than 90% of healthcare facilities throughout North America using locum tenens providers every year. Factors contributing to this rise include:
- Underserved areas are experiencing an increase in demand for health care providers.
- Provider gaps that many facilities experience when employees go on vacation, take parental leave, or resign.
In many parts of the country, these factors create a gap in services. By utilizing locum technologists, rural and critical access hospitals are able to function more efficiently. With the aging of baby boomers, the demand for health care providers will increase, and the current provider gap will widen.
Need Locum Healthcare Professionals? Our Healthcare Staffing Agency Can Help!
For hospitals, clinics, and other facilities looking for additional resources to manage their workload, working with a healthcare staffing agency can be extremely beneficial. Locating qualified Physiotherapists and Technologists that fit your needs can be challenging, but once you partner with the right agency, you’ll find it much easier to access locum staff when you need them.
At ProMed HR Solutions, we have skilled locum professionals available in the following modalities:
- Ultrasound Technologists
- MRI Technologists
- Echo Technologists
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists
- CT Technologists
- X-Ray Technologists
- CLXT Technologists
- Medical Laboratory Technologists
- Medical Laboratory Assistants
- Physiotherapists
- Rehabilitation Assistant
Matching the skills, experience, and travel goals of our candidates with the needs of our clients results in a seamless experience for both parties. To learn more about how we can support your facility, visit www.promedhr.ca or call (833) 776-6336.
