Locum recruiters are pivotal in helping rural hospitals find professionals to provide their communities with high-quality healthcare service. The Department of Health and Human Services statistics state that rural communities have less than half the number of physicians per 10,000 people compared to their metropolitan counterparts. Locum recruiters hard work to prevent this gap from widening.
Physician shortage and rural communities
The physician shortage has hit rural America the hardest. Smaller facilities have a more challenging time attracting and retaining providers. Recruiters can help locate skilled medical professionals open to temporary assignments in rural communities. Locum recruiters have access to a large talent pool and can often present several qualified candidates to hospitals. Recruiters can also help facilities fill temporary gaps caused by attrition, illness, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Relieving the pressure
When providers are overworked and stressed, it can impact patient care. Locum coverage can allow physicians to take a well-deserved break or reduce their on-call hours. Having locums on board creates a deeper bench which relieves the pressure on existing staff. The locums’ role in relieving stress on veteran physicians also improves retention rates, another challenge for rural facilities.
Time
Healthcare recruiting is a full-time job. With hospital staff already stretched thin in rural communities, they often lack time to allocate the necessary resources to vet potential providers. Locum recruiters can take on this role and leave facilities with more time to focus on patient care. Offloading some of this responsibility can also relieve stress on hospital leadership.
We recognize our Wapiti recruiters’ hard work and dedication. Locum recruiters are acutely aware of the talent crunch facing rural healthcare. Their mission is to locate the best fit for the facilities they work with, ensuring the candidate has the pre-requisite qualifications and experience. Without their efforts, facilities in smaller communities would face an even greater struggle as they strive to provide their patients with the care they deserve.
Is your facility searching for a provider who is the right fit? Check out our talent pool of providers who are looking for their next opportunity!