27 Dec Is There Job Security Working as a Locum Tenens Provider?
In many ways, a locum tenens career can be very rewarding. But some clinicians are unsure about the job security associated with abandoning a staff position and taking on the locum tenens lifestyle.
Fortunately, health providers who choose a locum tenens career path can enjoy the numerous benefits of being a “traveler” – while also experiencing the job security they desire. So if you’re thinking of making the move to locum tenens – but are concerned about ensuring long-term employment – here are a few considerations:
Locum Tenens Jobs are in Demand
Locum Tenens workers are in high demand and clinicians who choose this career option are already at a distinct advantage when it comes to job security. Positions are available everywhere from rural areas to big cities. Though these positions are temporary, there certainly is no shortage. Clinicians can choose to work as much or as little as they want.
Locum tenens jobs can be found in physician practices, acute care hospitals, specialty hospitals, urgent care centers, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings.
The Need Continues to Grow
The healthcare industry is growing at a higher rate than many other comparable fields according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This translates into more opportunities for physicians, nurses, and other clinicians.
With the widespread U.S. clinician shortage, locum tenens opportunities continue to expand. Everyone from hospitals to private practices are clamoring to hire these temporary health providers. Locum tenens professionals provide these organizations with the ability to:
- Give full-time workers time off.
- Keep up with demanding schedules and number of patients.
- Improve their back-office practices, including ICD-10.
- Offer patients a wide variety of clinicians, including specialists.
You Can Keep Your Full-time Job
In many cases, the number one reason doctors choose to work locum tenens is to supplement their income. A number of locum physicians working in a full-time practice or hospital take on extra locums shifts on weekends or over their vacations. It’s an excellent way to earn extra money to pay off student loans or address personal financial goals.
Locum Tenens Offers Better Pay and Increased Financial Security
Locum pay is market-driven and may be as much as 25% higher than salaried positions when compared on an hourly basis. Factors that impact locum tenens pay rates include location, facility type, patient volume, current demand, inflation, shift hours, and specialty. Facilities are willing to pay a premium for providers who are specialists and for those who can rapidly mobilize.
The highest-paid locum tenens specialties include radiology, anesthesiology, orthopedic surgery, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, gastroenterology, general surgery, cardiology, and psychiatry. Rates – which can be negotiated – will vary based on demand and location.
The bottom line is increased compensation coupled with the knowledge that demand is strong provides the majority of locum tenens clinicians with a greater sense of security. Clinicians who throw their hat in the locum tenens ring can likely look forward to a secure, rewarding, and lucrative future.
Contact Annashae Today
At Annashae we’re dedicated to the placement of highly-skilled clinical practitioners in short- and long-term positions. As a nationwide medical staffing and consulting firm, we provide a range of services that enable our candidates to quickly find the career opportunity that fits their needs. For information on how you can further your clinical career, contact us today.