How many physicians are practicing on a locum tenens basis each year? Why do they choose these types of opportunities? What
do hospital executives and others who require temporary coverage think of the services provided by locum tenens physicians?
In order to obtain answers to these questions, Staff Care, Inc., conducts an annual survey of both locum tenens providers
and hospital and medical group ad-ministrators. As in the past, the 2005 Review of Temporary Physician Staffing Trends also includes a review of temporary physician staffing opportunities offered by our company in the previous calendar year.
SURVEY FINDINGS
One finding of the Review is that the number of physicians in locum tenens practice is rising, from an estimated 26,752 providers in 2001 to 34,000 last year. The report also notes that the total amount of spending on locum tenens services is growing nationally, demonstrating a 132% growth rate—from $1.25 billion in 2001 to $2.9 billion in 2004. REASONS FOR GROWTH
Estimated Number of Physicians Practicing Locum Tenens Nationally
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There are a number of reasons why the locum tenens industry continues to grow. Primary among them is the acute shortage of physicians being experienced virtually nationwide. Executives with one of our affiliated firms (Merritt, Hawkins & Associates) recently
attended a national conference on physician supply in Washington, DC, held by the Association of American Medical Colleges
(AAMC). In an opening speech, Edward Salsberg, director of AAMC's Center for Workforce Studies, made the sobering projection
that the U.S. may be up to 200,000 physicians short by the year 2020, even if the association succeeds in its goal of increasing
medical school enrollment by 15% in the next 10 years.
The physician shortage is driving physician staffing toward the temporary model, just as the nurse shortage did in nurse staffing.
Lacking an adequate number of permanent, full-time physicians, many hospitals and medical groups are filling gaps with temporary
physicians until they can recruit the full-time staff necessary. The use of locum tenens services is particularly prevalent
in areas, such as rural locations, that traditionally have had a difficult time recruiting permanent physicians. However,
locum tenens today has spread far beyond these settings. Our firm and others currently represent locum tenens opportunities
in many of the nation's largest cities, where physician shortages in a variety of medical specialties now are common.
Changing practice styles among physicians also are affecting the utilization of locum tenens as a staffing solution. Younger
physicians today often put a premium on a "controllable lifestyle," which includes set hours and regular vacations. Increasingly,
locum tenens physicians are being used to cover for vacationing physicians and to assist medical groups in maintaining reasonable
work schedules for their permanent staff.
All of these factors have influenced the growing demand for temporary physician days. In terms of days requested to fill,
the Review reflects an increase from 182,370 in 2003 to 231,527 last year, and projections of 287,068 for 2005.
Top 8 Specialties Requested by Clients, 2004
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The study also found that the type of locum tenens physicians sought by hospitals and medical groups varies. Much of the demand,
however, is centered in hospital-based specialties—including anesthesiology, psychiatry, radiology, pediatrics, and surgery—and
in primary care.
