With the arrival of summer comes vacations and the need for staffing openings to be temporarily filled. Preparation for these openings will help smooth the transition for you and your staff.
Prepare for the Toughest Time of Year
Summer can be the toughest time of year for your private practice or facility. Vacations and time off are coveted during this time, which is great for providers who are afforded the opportunity to get away and relax with the family. But this can put pressure on your facility or medical practice and other staff members covering for providers during the absences. One choice is to lower the number of patients being seen. But this can significantly affect your bottom line. Consider the following remedies to beat your summertime staffing demand.
Hire a Locum Tenens Provider
Locum tenens providers can help relieve summertime demand — or anytime you're in need of extra coverage. This will help to remove the extra burden placed on other providers in your practice. Patients won’t have to be turned away which means you can continue to bill for services and receive payment while your regular providers are away on vacation. A locum tenens provider will arrive prepared with credentialing and state licensing completed. Should you find yourself needing a provider for unplanned reasons, a locum tenens agency can work with you to fill a spot quickly.
Plan Ahead
Knowing summer comes at the same time each year, planning provider vacation schedules ahead of time can greatly benefit your practice and your staff. Creating a vacation calendar several months ahead of time will also give you an opportunity to work with a locum tenens staffing agency to obtain providers for planned staffing needs. Locum tenens providers can offer patients continuity of care by ensuring there aren’t any gaps in provider availability. Your other providers will greatly appreciate the release of any burdens that could fall on them during summertime staffing demands.
A locum tenens staffing agency may be the answer to your summertime staffing needs. When contacting a locum tenens staffing agency, inquire about their credentialing, licensing, and privileging services. You also want to ensure the provider’s malpractice insurance, housing, and travel are covered. What about litigation management? Do the agency offer risk and legal services? The agency should also adhere to high ethical standards driven by the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO).
Contact VISTA to find the right provider to fill your staffing demand.
