This article was originally published by Dr. Peter Alperin in physicianleaders.org. 

More and more doctors are interested in locum tenens, and the benefits are positive for patients and doctors alike.

“Locum Tenens” is a direct translation of the Latin phrase meaning, “temporary work.” A locum tenens physician works in the place of a full-time physician when he or she is absent, or when a hospital or practice is short-staffed. For example, locum tenens may fill in for a physician on family or maternity leave or may be temporarily employed by a hospital or practice that is under-staffed. 

 Locum tenens is becoming more common. In fact, Doximity’s recent data report found a steep increase in interest among U.S. physicians in locum tenens job opportunities. 

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The popularity and necessity of locum tenens is rapidly growing. Nearly 50,000 physicians work locum tenens assignments each year – caring for an estimated 7.5 million Americans (that’s up from 26,000 in 2002) – and 94% of U.S. healthcare facilities now use locum tenens providers annually (per Staff Care’s most recent Survey of Temporary Physician Staffing Trends). Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Physician Assistants (PAs) and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are also in demand in the locum tenens arena, and their numbers are growing too: NPs and PAs both rank among the 10 most utilized locum tenens healthcare professionals.

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In 2016, roughly 48,000 physicians did locum tenens work. That’s up from 44,000 in 2014, and 26,000 in 2002, per Staff Care’s annual survey. The survey also revealed that 94% of healthcare facility managers used locum tenens physicians during the last 12 months. Locum tenens physicians were mainly used to fill in until permanent doctors were found in certain specialties or to address staff turnover.

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There was a time when locum tenens was the career swan song of older physicians. A locums assignment was a way for a semiretired, 60-year-old emergency medicine physician from Crystal, Minnesota to ditch a frigid winter in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and spend January through April working in sunny southern California – easing out of a practice and into retirement (and golfing and bird watching).

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The physician workforce is evolving and the locum tenens workforce is growing. A few months ago we published the article: Why more physicians are considering a locum tenens career. We noted that regardless of why or how a physician vacancy exists, healthcare facilities have to maintain patient care quality – so they regularly hire part-time or temporary locum tenens physicians to fill the gap. Several recent surveys, including one from The Physician Foundation, found that 46% of doctors will change their practice styles within three years and 9% plan to work locum tenens.

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Placeholders, free agents, locum tenens…no matter the name, a physician filling in for another physician has been a common practice (and a professional courtesy) for a long time. Physicians retire, resign, and get fired; physicians need vacation and personal time, as well as maternity and sick leave, too. 

Of course, staffing shortages are the norm these days and physician turnover creates a huge expense. Regardless of why or how a physician vacancy exists, healthcare facilities have to maintain patient care quality—so they regularly hire part-time or temporary locum tenens physicians to fill the gap.

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