VISTA Staffing Solutions (www.vistastaff.com), one of the largest temporary physician, or locum tenens, staffing firms in the United States, is the first to provide U. S. physicians with the opportunity to practice in both domestic and international assignments. VISTA recently launched its international division, and is placing physicians in medical facilities and community practices in countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
"International locum tenens assignments can enhance physicians’ lives, professionally and personally, while helping medical facilities ensure the quality and continuity of patient care during staffing shortages," said Mark S. Brouse, CEO and president of VISTA Staffing Solutions. "We are taking our expertise in matching highly skilled physicians with the clinical and interpersonal demands of our clients to a new level." Brouse notes that VISTA streamlines the placement process for both physician and facility by coordinating logistical details, including travel, registration (licensure), work visas and credentialing.
Two of VISTA’s recent international placements are examples of the company’s commitment to providing opportunities to physicians at all stages of their professional careers, according to Brouse. Leah E. Schafer, M.D., a board certified radiologist, completed her residency at Brown Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital in June 2004. VISTA placed Dr. Schafer in her first international locum tenens assignment at the Hawke’s Bay Hospital in Hastings, New Zealand in February of this year. Dr. Schafer says that there is a real feeling of fraternity among Hawke’s Bay medical staff, and the patients are friendly and appreciative. "The stress level is remarkably low," she remarks. "Imagine working in a place where logic rules rather than litigation."
Still, Dr. Schafer’s first international placement has had its challenges, such as learning new medical terms. "Medical residents are called registrars. Tylenol is referred to as paracetemol," she explains. And, she has "become one with the left side" of the road, proclaiming herself a graduate of "Leah’s School of Wrong Way Driving!" After work, Dr. Schafer rides her bike along the beach boardwalk and is taking art lessons with new friends from the hospital. She spent her first vacation sea kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park.
VISTA’s international opportunities also drew the attention of Gretchen Stone, M.D., a family practitioner. Dr. Stone completed her residency at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, Calif., in 1984 and has been practicing for more than 20 years. She recently accepted her first VISTA assignment and moved temporarily to Scottsdale, which is on Australia’s island state of Tasmania, with her husband and three children. Since February 21, Dr. Stone has worked in the Scottsdale Doctors’ Surgery, a rural family clinic serving 7,000 people. She is refreshed by the opportunity to practice high-quality "country" medicine in what she calls a "straightforward medical system."
One of the most interesting aspects of the VISTA assignment for Dr. Stone was the opportunity it provided to her children. In Scottsdale, her 10-, 13- and 14-year-old kids are gardening, baking and doing graphic design on academic field trips. The family has gone surfing, beach camping, and scuba diving. "My husband and I are delighted they’re savoring the good life."
Like many countries, Australia and New Zealand do not have an adequate supply of physicians graduating from their medical schools. To address this physician shortage, medical service providers in these countries, ranging from small family practices to large hospitals, are increasingly turning to locum tenens physicians to ensure that their patients receive the highest quality of care. "It’s exciting to provide our overseas clients with top-quality U.S. physicians, and to make these opportunities available to doctors," says Abby Grayzel, VISTA’s international division manager." Most people don’t realize how rare it is to work in a profession that allows you to earn an income while visiting another country. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to see a new country in a way a tourist never could."
About VISTA Staffing Solutions International Division
VISTA Staffing Solutions launched its international division in October 2004 to provide a full range of opportunities for locum tenens physicians who are interested in living and practicing in diverse medical facilities outside the United States. Committed to helping health care organizations in other countries and the United States meet their patient care obligations, VISTA provides the highest-quality temporary physicians where and when they are needed. The company’s credentialing process meets or exceeds the standards set by the Joint Commission on Accreditation (JCAHO) and the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA).
About VISTA Staffing Solutions
VISTA Staffing Solutions (www.vistastaff.com) is a leading provider of temporary physician staffing and permanent physician search services. Founded in 1990, the employee-owned company helps hospitals, medical practices and government agencies solve their physician staffing challenges. VISTA is the only agency that offers short- and long-term domestic jobs, international work opportunities, and permanent placement for physicians. The company is a founding member of the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO).
