Hiring Full-Time vs. Locum Tenens
In the healthcare industry, the decision between hiring full-time staff and utilizing locum tenens providers involves careful consideration of various factors, including staffing needs, budgetary constraints, and long-term strategic goals. Both options offer distinct advantages and challenges, and employers must weigh these carefully to determine the most suitable staffing approach for their organization.
Hiring full-time staff rather than relying on locum tenens offers several advantages for employers seeking stability and continuity in their workforce. First, full-time employees often demonstrate a greater commitment to the organization, fostering a sense of loyalty and dedication to their roles. Second, with full-time staff, it is easier to establish strong relationships among providers and between providers and patients, which facilitates continuity of care and an improved workflow. In addition, employers can invest in the professional development of full-time staff, offering opportunities for training, advancement, and specialization within the organization that benefit both the clinician and the organization.
However, hiring full-time staff also comes with certain challenges, including the financial commitments associated with salaries, benefits, and overhead costs. Additionally, recruiting and retaining qualified full-time employees in competitive healthcare markets can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process 1,2.
Locum tenens providers, or temporary healthcare professionals, offer employers flexibility and temporary coverage needs for which hiring full-time staff would be impractical or inefficient. First, locum tenens physicians are readily available to fill staffing gaps, providing immediate coverage during vacations, medical leaves, or unexpected absences. Second, employers can save on the costs associated with hiring full-time staff, such as salaries, benefits, and recruitment expenses, by utilizing locum tenens physicians on an as-needed basis. Third, locum tenens providers can bring diverse clinical experiences and specialized expertise to healthcare organizations, enriching the skill set of the existing workforce. Finally, employers can use locum tenens providers to adjust staffing levels based on fluctuating patient volumes or seasonal demands without the long-term commitments associated with hiring full-time staff.
Despite these advantages, employers must also consider potential challenges when relying on locum tenens providers, including the need for onboarding and orientation, potential disruptions to continuity of care, and the possibility of limited availability during peak demand periods 2,3.
When deciding between hiring full-time staff and utilizing locum tenens providers, employers consider a number of factors. Assessing current and future staffing needs is essential in determining the most appropriate staffing approach. Full-time positions may be more suitable for roles requiring consistent coverage and/or long-term patient relationships, while locum tenens physicians may be better suited for temporary or specialized assignments. Employers also evaluate the financial implications of both options, comparing the costs of hiring full-time staff, including salaries, benefits, and overhead expenses, with the expenses associated with utilizing locum tenens providers. It is important to consider, too, the impact on patient care and satisfaction when choosing between full-time and locum tenens providers. Finally, aligning staffing decisions with long-term organizational goals is vital for sustainable growth and success—to this end, employers should consider how hiring full-time staff or utilizing locum tenens providers fits into their broader strategic plans and objectives 4,5.
References
1. Physicians’ perspective: How perm and locum jobs compare. Available at: https://locumstory.com/spotlight/how-perm-and-locum-jobs-compare/. (Accessed: 30th January 2024)
2. Which should you choose: Locum Tenens or Permanent Placement? Available at: https://www.caliberhealth.com/blog/which-should-you-choose-locum-tenens-or-permanent-placement. (Accessed: 21st May 2024)
3. Physicians’ perspective: How perm and locum jobs compare. Available at: https://locumstory.com/spotlight/how-perm-and-locum-jobs-compare/. (Accessed: 21st May 2024)
4. Permanent vs. Locum Tenens – Which is Right For You? Part 1 | HospitalRecruiting.com. Available at: https://www.hospitalrecruiting.com/blog/8068/permanent-vs-locum-1/. (Accessed: 30th January 2024)
5. Ferreira, N. et al. Approaches to locum physician recruitment and retention: a systematic review. Hum. Resour. Health 22, (2024). doi: 10.1186/s12960-024-00906-z