VISTA Voice

National EMS Week happens this year on May 16-22, 2021. First authorized in 1974 by President Gerald Ford, the proclamation dedicating the week came on the heels of the EMS Systems Act, which provided funds to create more than 300 EMS systems around the country. It remains a time to express recognition and gratitude to Emergency Medicine (EM) practitioners and their vital work in our communities.  

Professionals in many industries take advantage of their travel jobs by turning required work trips into mini-vacations. While they have to complete their work obligations during the day, they get to spend time exploring new places in their free time. It can be a fun way to gain new experiences and check out other cities if you consider relocation in the future. However, it can be challenging to get a good feel for a place when you are only there for a short time. 

As part of the global effort to combat COVID-19, clinicians are coping with historical mortality rates and extreme burnout levels. Long, intense work shifts compounded by the fear of contracting the virus or bringing it home to family members have left medical staffers exhausted. One year in, hospitals are still dealing with an illness that has no cure while now having to treat an influx of patients who had previously put off care because of the pandemic.

With stimulus checks starting to hit bank accounts in March, it's easy to overlook the less exciting annual torture that is tax season at the IRS. At this writing, the IRS has extended the 2020 tax filing deadline, and taxes are due on May 17th. This is an excellent time to remind locum tenens professionals to keep a few things in mind. 

March 25 – 31 is National Physicians Week. This is a time to honor the men and women who have dedicated their lives to healing and the art of medicine. The theme for this year is "This is Our Shot." It is a reminder for doctors to unite, heal, lead, educate, and vaccinate.

In 2019, 85% of healthcare provider groups used locum tenens physicians. With increased patient demand and the American healthcare system being short, almost 122,000 physicians by 2032, the need for locum tenens physicians is in high demand. This working arrangement offers many benefits, such as increased flexibility and more career options.

Becoming a healthcare provider is an exciting prospect for medical school graduates, and there's no more exciting time during a future clinician's career than Match Week. That's when medical students find out what residency program they'll be entering upon graduation. Let's take a closer look at what to expect as you head into the next step in your medical career.

How do you know which specialty to pursue with so many areas of medicine? Some clinicians choose their professions based on how knowledgeable they are about certain aspects of medicine. Some "just know" their calling, perhaps thanks to astrology.

Time is often essential for medical care, and anesthesiologists are no strangers to working on the front lines. Even before the pandemic, the anesthesiologist did so much more than administer sedatives for surgery. Some of the most versatile and vital clinicians are anesthesiologists, which is why we celebrate their work each year.

In the professional healthcare provider field, two groups are always in demand: anesthetists and anesthesiologists. Within a given healthcare facility, these two professions often touch just about every department or practice. That's why it's important to understand and honor the work they do — notably, nurse anesthetists — to help improve patient outcomes.