Locum tenens refers to physicians or other healthcare providers who take on temporary assignments to fill in for another clinician. In practice, a locum tenens physician steps into a hospital or clinic for a set period – from a single shift to several months – to ensure patient care continues when the regular provider is unavailable or when there’s an open position.
So why do physicians and advanced practice providers choose to work locum? There are many possible answers to those questions, which vary from person-to-person. Some people enjoy the thrill of exploring a new region of the country, while others want a flexible work schedule and a freedom-based lifestyle. Income potential is often a factor in choosing to make the leap from hospital staff to locum tenens. Whether you are just finishing your residency or sunsetting your career, there is no better time than now for you to become an independent practitioner.
Healthcare Facilities will Always Need Locum Tenens Providers
The use of locum tenens staffing has steadily increased over recent years, with more than 90% of U.S. healthcare facilities now reporting the use of locum tenens physicians every year.
Driving factors of this rise include:
- increased demand for health care providers in underserved areas
- a provider gap that many facilities experience when employees
- take vacations,
- go on maternity leave, or
- resign positions.
These factors create a gap in services in many parts of the country. Utilizing locum practitioners closes this gap and enables rural and critical access hospitals to function at their full potential. As baby boomers continue to age, the demand for health care providers will continue to increase and the current provider gap will expand.
How Does Locum Tenens Work?
Locum tenens may sound unusual if you’ve never worked as anything other than a permanent employee, but the process is straightforward once you understand the steps. Here’s an overview of how locum tenens work typically operates for physicians:
Partnering with a Staffing Agency
Most physicians begin by connecting with a locum tenens staffing agency. While you could theoretically find temporary gigs on your own, agencies make the process much easier. An agency’s recruiter will discuss your specialty, experience, and preferences (such as where you’d like to work and what schedule or assignment length you want). You can register with more than one agency to see a wider range of opportunities – you remain an independent contractor, so you’re not tied exclusively to any single company.
A good locum tenens staffing company will provide you with options to best suit your needs. At Wapiti, we provide our partner providers with the following:
- Freedom of Schedule
- Freedom of Choice
Freedom of Schedule
Create space for things you love by choosing your own schedule. When you partner with Wapiti, you are no longer bound by a schedule imposed on you by someone else. As an independently contracted practitioner with Wapiti, we will make every possible accommodation to help you create the schedule and work/life balance that you desire.
Freedom of Choice
Why go from one strict set of rules to another? Unlike most other staffing companies, we will never ask you to sign an exclusivity agreement. This essentially makes you a free agent, able to continue your full-time employment or even take on other contracted work if you desire. Our goal is to help you achieve the income, schedule and work/life balance you deserve.
What Does Flexibility Really Look Like?
At Wapiti, we match the needs of our providers to our openings, not the other way around. Our scheduling team will work directly with you to ensure you are satisfied with your location, shifts and travel arrangements. When a provider wants to pick up shifts or change locations, we provide options to make those requests a reality. At Wapiti, many of our hospital contracts are in areas with low volumes, allowing you to work longer shifts with lower stress levels.
Searching and Choosing Assignments
The agency will present you with available locum tenens job opportunities that fit your criteria. For example, you might be offered a one-week hospitalist assignment in a rural community, or a three-month clinic position in a vacation destination. You get to choose the assignment that appeals to you.
Some key questions to ask yourself early on:
- How far am I willing to travel?
- How frequently do I want to travel?
- What length of time do I prefer to be away?
- What volume of patients am I comfortable covering?
- What length of shifts do I want to work?
- What pay rate do I need?
There’s no obligation to accept an assignment unless it’s a good fit for you.
Credentialing and Licensing
Credentialing and licensing processes differ from state to state, and a great staffing agency will assist and guide you through them. Returning requested paperwork or other materials as quickly as possible is the key to getting credentialed and licensed in a timely manner. Most lags occur due to the time it takes you to produce these items so be prepared and have them ready. This will help you to get on the schedule when you desire.
Wapiti has a credentialing team that will assist you with the credentialing and licensing processes. Our professional staff will guide you every step of the way, even going so far as to help you apply for state licenses. There’s never a doubt or worry when you are on board with Wapiti. We make the process as seamless as possible and answer all your questions quickly.
Travel and Housing Arrangements
Traveling for locum tenens assignments can seem daunting, especially when heading to an unfamiliar location. Fortunately, staffing agencies like Wapiti streamline travel logistics, ensuring you can focus on your assignment without added stress.
Housing Arrangements
Your accommodations depend on the specific placement. Agencies typically handle all housing logistics, including booking hotels, apartments, or arranging on-site housing provided by the facility. A dedicated Logistics Coordinator ensures you’re comfortable and aware of your accommodations before arrival.
Travel Logistics
Travel arrangements also vary based on the assignment and your home location. Many providers choose to fly, while others prefer driving if the placement is nearby. Travel expenses are generally covered or reimbursed by the staffing agency, and unreimbursed travel expenses are tax-deductible. All financial details regarding travel will be clearly outlined in your assignment agreement.
Wapiti acts as your travel agent, coordinating lodging and providing a 24/7 support line to promptly address any travel-related issues, guaranteeing a smooth and stress-free experience.
Balancing Family and Local Commitments
As an independently contracted provider, you control your schedule, allowing flexibility to balance family and local obligations. Assignments can often be arranged back-to-back, enabling extended time at home. In some cases, bringing your family along is possible, turning assignments into memorable adventures for everyone involved, depending on facility accommodations and family size.
Three Scheduling Scenarios
Whether you are a parent looking to work one weekend a month, a retired physician desiring a few lower-volume shifts, or an Advanced Practice Provider looking for full-time work, you have the freedom to create your own ideal schedule. Here are a few scenarios in which an independent practitioner’s schedule fits various life situations:
Are you a parent who wants more time at home?
Work long weekends – two 96-hour shifts per month – and enjoy being home with your family the rest of the month!
Are you a health care provider capable of greater income?
Work longer shifts at lower-volume facilities as a solo provider and enjoy flexible part-time or full-time schedules.
Are you an employed or retired health care provider desiring supplemental income?
Earn extra money by working shifts at a lower-volume facility. This is perfect if you would like to work more but don’t want to take on the stress of higher-volume shifts.
Working the Assignment
Beginning a locum tenens role is straightforward, allowing you to quickly integrate into your new workplace. Here’s what you can expect:
Facility Orientation
Upon arrival, you’ll have a brief orientation, including staff introductions, a facility overview, and relevant policies and procedures.
Typical Duties
Your responsibilities will closely mirror those of a permanent position. Depending on your specialty, you’ll perform tasks such as patient visits, hospital rounds, taking call, or conducting surgeries and procedures.
Staff and Patient Interactions
While staff will refer to you as “the locum” or “temporary doctor,” patients generally see you simply as another healthcare provider.
Ongoing Agency Support
Throughout your assignment, your agency stays in regular contact. They assist with scheduling, administrative tasks like timesheet submission, and any issues or questions you may have. Your recruiter or coordinator is always available for additional support.
Getting Paid as a Locum Tenens Provider
As a locum tenens physician, payment typically comes through your staffing agency, often on a regular schedule such as weekly or biweekly. You’ll usually submit a timesheet or have your hours verified by the facility before the agency processes your payment.
Payment Method and Schedule
Payments are typically issued as 1099 income, meaning taxes are not withheld and you are responsible for managing your own tax obligations. Agencies like Wapiti Medical Staffing offer reliable direct deposit, ensuring prompt and hassle-free payments according to a consistent schedule. Before accepting an assignment, clarify payment details:
- Is payment via direct deposit or mailed checks?
- How does the agency track shifts and hours?
- How are any payment issues resolved?
Income Potential with Wapiti
At Wapiti, providers working full-time—defined as only 10 shifts per month—can earn annual incomes exceeding $250,000, depending on pay rates and shift lengths.
Malpractice Coverage
Wapiti also provides comprehensive malpractice insurance through an A-rated carrier. Coverage, including tail coverage, is provided to both part-time and full-time providers, with policy limits of $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate.
How Will My Employee Status Change?
When you work locum tenens, you will likely be doing business as a 1099 contractor. This means you will be your own business (and your own boss!). You will need to decide whether to establish your business as a sole-proprietorship, LLC or corporate entity. There are different tax advantages and business reasons associated with each type. To obtain the best information and advice given your specific situation, we recommend consulting your accountant or an attorney.
Do I Still Get Benefits?
When entering into business contracts as your own entity, the staffing agency with whom you contract might not withhold taxes or provide you with the same employee benefits you received as a W-2 employee. In those instances, items such as health insurance, retirement (401K), long-term and short-term disability, and paid time off will become your responsibility.
What Are The Tax Advantages of Having My Own Business?
There are numerous tax advantages when you establish your own business. Some of these include writing off your mileage when traveling for work and even deducting some business expenses. Because there are many rules and regulations, both federal and in your home state, we recommend you visit the following resources to learn more:
Business federal tax information:
https://www.irs.gov/businesses
Small business federal tax information:
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed
Business state tax information:
https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage/pay-taxes-business-state-federal
Completing Your Assignment and Next Steps
Once your assignment period ends, you’ll finish any necessary paperwork (perhaps an exit survey or final timesheet) and then you’re free to either take a break or move on to another assignment. Many physicians build in some downtime between locum tenens engagements to rest, spend time at home, or travel for leisure.
When you’re ready for another position, you can work with your recruiter again to line up the next locum job. Some doctors even line up back-to-back assignments if they prefer continuous work. You have complete control over when and where you work next.
The Wapiti Process
Wapiti specializes in placing locum providers in communities throughout the Midwest. Our strength is covering Clinic, ER, Hospitalist, Urgent Care and Anesthesia with quality physicians, advanced practice providers (PA/NP), and CRNA. Our motivation has always been and continues to be maintaining close relationships with our practitioners and partner facilities. When you partner with Wapiti as a locum tenens practitioner, we provide you with flexible scheduling, credentialing assistance, malpractice coverage, travel and housing assistance, and staff available 24/7 to assist you.
Recruiting
Our Recruitment Team will be your first source of information as you dip your toes into becoming an independent practitioner. From pay rate to placement location and schedule, our Recruitment Team will guide you every step of the way.
Credentialing
After you come on board, you will work with our Credentialing Team to obtain the facility privileges needed to add you to the schedule. We will even help you apply for state licenses.
Scheduling
The Scheduling Team will be your long-term partner and manage all details around your placement(s). Your designated Account Manager/Scheduler will answer any questions you have as you take your first assignment and throughout your time with Wapiti.
24/7 Assistance
When you are on location and have questions or issues, or even when you are home and curious about something — our 24/7 toll-free number is available for you. We never leave our providers hanging without answers or the resources needed to ensure success.