LocumLife - August 2008 - (Page 6)

INSIGHTS Survey says Presenting industry research Locum tenens practice offers career alternatives A survey commissioned in January 2008 by VISTA Staffing Solutions based in Salt Lake City, Utah, found that locum tenens practice may extend the medical careers of physicians and help them avoid burn-out. Mark S. Brouse “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that locum tenens can extend careers in medicine. Respondents’ length of time in practice had an impact on the results of this question, with physicians in practice 11 to 20 years and 21 to 30 years expressing much stronger agreement than physicians in practice 1 to 10 years. Avoid burn-out. Next, the survey asked whether locum tenens could help physicians avoid burn-out by giving them a feasible way to provide services part-time, make a transition, or secure locum tenens coverage for their own practices. More than half (53%) “agreed” or “strongly agreed,” with 25% indicating neutral answers. Gender also influenced responses to this question, with women more likely to agree or strongly agree that locum tenens can help physicians avoid burn-out. “I was looking at leaving medicine completely,” wrote one physician, “and locum tenens gave me time to find another position that kept me practicing medicine.” Better distribute physician supply. Physicians are drawn to prac29% 18% L ocum tenens—Latin for “one holding a place”—is the industry term for physicians who provide temporary services. Requests can range from coverage for a colleague during medical or military leave, for example, to staffing for a healthcare facility while it recruits a permanent physician. The practice is worldwide, and a $1.6 billion industry in the U.S. alone, according to Staffing Industry Analysts. Interestingly, however, 69% of survey respondents said they had no personal experience practicing as or contracting with locum tenens physicians. How strongly do you agree with the statement, “Locum tenens can extend careers in medicine?” Least Agreement Most Agreement How strongly do you agree with the statement, “Locum tenens can help physicians avoid burn-out?” 40% 10% 3% LOCUM TENENS’ IMPACT ON MEDICAL CAREERS Extend careers. The VISTA survey was designed to test the potential effect of locum tenens on physicians’ careers and any resulting impact on physician supply. Almost 70% of respondents 6 LocumLife AUGUST 2008 tice in suburban and urban areas for many reasons, creating a maldistribution of these professionals and acute shortages in rural regions. The survey asked whether locum tenens could help solve this problem. Overall, positive responses exceeded negative responses (43% to 31%); however, some specific comments indicated that poor compensation for primary care physicians and the shrinking supply of new physicians will continue to aggravate the problem. One respondent noted, “I think locum tenens is popular in areas that physicians would like to visit, so I don’t think it would greatly benefit the physician maldistribution problem, unless underserved areas were more highly compensated.” Improve physician skills. Because locum tenens gives physicians the opportunity to cover a variety of practice types and geographic settings, the survey asked whether the doctors believed that locum tenens could improve physician skills through diversity of experiences. This was the most evenly split question in the survey, with about one-third disagreeing, one-third neutral, and a little more than one-third agreeing. “Change of scenery and exposure to different communities,” said one participant, “should enrich a physician’s experience and professional expertise.” TIMING IS EVERYTHING Survey results showed that locum tenens is an attractive practice option for physicians considering semi-retirement, those www.LocumLife.com The VISTA survey was conducted via Ask 100 Doctors® from Encore Research Group, an on-line physician consultation program that provides nearly instant consensus medical opinions. http://www.LocumLife.com

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LocumLife - August 2008 Insights Editorial Contents From Nalto Stat! Survey Says Resources Last-Minute Luxury Residency Corner Prescribed Advice Urgent Care Career Center Advertisers' Index Opportunities Direct Destinations Passport Contest Rules Anyone's Guess La Vita Locum

LocumLife - August 2008

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