Between a tightening labor market and an aging population, it may seem like there are simply not enough clinicians to go around. Labor costs now account for 60% of an average hospital's total budget, highlighting the need to control labor expenses. But for many hospital administrators, a reduction in total labor costs can seem like an insurmountable feat.
One of the most difficult tasks hospitals and other healthcare facilities face is staff management. Proper staffing is essential to ensure that the hospital operates smoothly and that all patients have a positive experience. Because staffing can be so complex and involves so many diverse challenges, many facilities struggle to find an efficient and effective way to manage contingency staff, provide continuity of care, maintain a positive patient experience and drive bottom-line growth.
Healthcare organizations face a variety of staffing challenges. As a result of an ongoing physician shortage, the market for the best talent has become increasingly more competitive. Other staffing challenges include difficulty in filling job vacancies, expansions, and mergers. Staffing challenges may impact healthcare facilities in many different ways, leading to lost revenue, a higher workload for existing staff members, poor patient experiences, and more.
The growing physician shortage has a huge impact on healthcare staffing, creating challenges for medical facilities. More specifically, it’s making it difficult for them to recruit and retain quality physicians to provide proper care to patients.
Deciding to start working locum tenens right out of residency isn’t something a lot of new physicians do, but it’s a decision Dr. EmmaLeigh Smith, a Family Medicine Physician, embraced wholeheartedly. Almost seven years after she started working locum tenens through VISTA, we caught up with Dr. Smith who is currently working in Portland to talk about her experiences and why she is “still loving it!”
If you’re prepping for an interview with a new facility, you might be thinking of all of the questions your interviewers will ask about your experience and potential fit on their team as a clinician. It’s smart to prepare to field a lot of questions—but don’t forget to ask yours! Asking questions not only shows that you’re truly interested in the opportunity, but gives you a chance to gather information and find out if it feels like a good match.
The myths surrounding locum tenens work continue!
In a previous post, we addressed misconceptions around job factors such as money, stability, workload, and the ability to really get to know your patients as a locum tenens clinician. We’re continuing to tackle the many myths of locum tenens here. Have you heard any of these before?
Topics: Industry Updates, Facilities & Practices
Online reviews are for restaurants, hotels, and spas, not healthcare providers… right? Wrong! Most of your work as a healthcare provider is done face-to-face with your patients. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have an online reputation to think about. Before choosing a provider, more and more web-savvy patients are doing their research.
Topics: Facilities & Practices
The facts aren’t too pretty and even seem to loom: 25 percent of all physicians will leave their new practice after three years. If a physician is fresh out of training, the odds are even worse (sometimes as much as double). If his or her number one criterion is geography-based, opposed to the practice and community-based, they are even worse.
Topics: Facilities & Practices
