If you’re new to temporary work as a healthcare provider, it can be challenging to identify the factors that make for a good locum tenens agency. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be hard to make an informed decision. A recent survey conducted by CHG Healthcare and Hanover Research asked physicians which attributes are most important to them when working with a locum tenens agency. Here are the seven criteria physicians identified as the most important when choosing a locum tenens company along with tips from experts on how to evaluate them.
1. Professionalism and ethics
More than 85% of physicians surveyed said professionalism and ethics was very important in a locum tenens agency. However, you may not be able to gauge a company’s ethics from one phone call with a recruiter or by looking at their website.
Start with the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO), which requires all members to follow a code of ethics and maintain high industry standards. NALTO ensures that both physicians and healthcare facilities are treated fairly. Check out the list of agency members to see whether the company you’re considering is there (not all agencies are part of NALTO).
“If the agency is not part of NALTO, I suggest you request three references from physicians that they’ve previously placed and contact them directly,” says Dr. Vlad Dzhashi, who manages the hospitalist blog The Locum Tenens Guy.
Dr. Andrew Wilner, a neurologist who has spent time working locums with CompHealth, offers this advice:
“I would choose a recruiter (or two). Talk to multiple people, but you don't have to send your CV to everyone. In 5 to 10 minutes, you should have a good idea of whether or not you can trust this person. This business has a high turnover, and knowing how long someone's been in the industry can also be very telling.”
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2. Depth of support services
Finding a job within your specialty and at your desired salary is only part of the locum tenens puzzle. For example:
- Does your agency help book your travel, housing, and transportation?
- Is a representative available 24/7 in case you have issues with your assignment?
It’s important to evaluate the agency’s support services, which may be why 83% of physicians surveyed ranked this attribute so highly when choosing which agency to work with.
One of the biggest benefits of working with an agency is help with credentialing and licensing, says nurse practitioner Sophia Khawly.
“I love when agencies offer proactive licensing. This means they assist and pay for state licenses before I even accept a job with them in that state. This can increase the possibility of finding my next assignment because most sites want you to already be licensed there before they sign you on,” Khawly explains. “It's also a plus that if I've applied for a state license on my own, the agency reimburses me for my license costs once I start working in that state.”
3. Fair compensation
A big draw to locum tenens assignments is the ability to earn a large paycheck, so it’s no surprise that 80% of surveyed physicians also ranked compensation as “very important” or “extremely important.”
However, it’s worth thinking about earnings more broadly instead of only looking at the daily rate. While bigger locum tenens agencies may not always have the highest rates, they often offer better support and pay you quickly and on time. If you go with an agency that also covers your housing, travel, and transportation costs, these benefits are part of your compensation as well.
“Smaller locum agencies usually have just a few employers to which they are dedicated. You may have to make your own travel arrangements and be reimbursed. Because they are smaller, the pay rate is frequently higher, but they typically pay more slowly. With one company, it was up to six weeks,” explains Dr. Marye McCroskey. “Ultimately, the choice of agency size will depend upon your personal preferences.”
A physician answers your questions: How do I choose a locum tenens agency?
4. Responsiveness
Whether you’re contacting a recruiter for the first time or trying to get in touch with someone at midnight when an issue arises on assignment, the best locum tenens agency is responsive — and 77% of surveyed physicians ranked this agency quality as “very important.”
“My recruiter isn’t just my recruiter; he’s my overall representative. I feel like any question I have I can go through him. I can shoot him a text or email pretty much whenever, and he usually responds pretty quickly or lets me know who exactly I need to talk to,” says Dr. McKayla Sakimura, who works locum tenens with CompHealth. “He just understands me.”
5. Specialty-specific expertise
Another top trait to look for in a locum tenens agency is specialty-specific expertise. While smaller agencies offer certain benefits (which may include higher take-home pay), larger agencies generally have more specialty-specific recruiters who focus on just one or two specialties. At a smaller firm, one recruiter may cover all specialties.
Weatherby Healthcare ensures that its consultants focus on a single specialty and offers training when they join the company.
“Our consultants know how doctors in that specialty are scheduled, what they’re required to do, and who they work with. There’s too much risk involved to not be a specialist,” explains senior learning and development specialist Matthew Gillis. “For the sake of the patient, for the provider, for the hospital, for our company, everything has to be right, and that’s what being specialty-specific does. It allows our consultants to be experts.”
6. Positive reputation among peers
Physicians who participated in the survey also said that a positive reputation was important when choosing a company. Do your own research to determine if the agency is reputable and easy to work with. Find out how long they’ve been in business, ask colleagues whether they’ve heard anything about certain companies, and do a quick online search to get a feel for what others say about working with the agency.
If a locum tenens company is ranked highly by peers, chances are good that the recruiters and staff working there are also satisfied with their jobs, offering a positive experience for everyone.
Dr. Julie Long was initially drawn to Weatherby Healthcare because she’d heard good things about the agency.
“The organization has a great reputation. And once I met my recruiter, I thought, ‘I don’t need to look any further.’ I don’t think it was Carla that convinced me to do locums, but it was Carla that convinced me I wanted to do locums with Weatherby,” Dr. Long says.
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7. Ease of initial application
Finally, surveyed physicians noted that ease of initial application was a top factor when choosing a locum tenens agency. No one wants to fill out a mountain of paperwork just to talk to a recruiter or start browsing open jobs.
Check out the agency’s website to get a feel for their process.
- Do they have a simple web form that allows you to contact a representative or an easy-to-find phone number?
- Does the agency give you the option to choose how they respond (text, phone, or email)?
Talking directly to a recruiter about a certain job you’re interested in can also help you evaluate how the agency is structured.
Knowing the top factors other physicians look for when taking temporary jobs can help you identify the best locum tenens agency for your needs. Click the button below to get started.