Locums as a Strategic Bridge
April 20th, 2011 1 Min readThis is a guest blog post by Morris Jensby, VP of Risk Management, CHG Healthcare
Sometimes jockeying for midfield is a highly successful strategy.
In a recent Editor's Corner for Fierce Practice Management, Deb Beaulieu gives pointers for medical practices to meet re-entering physicians half-way. The option that is lacking from the analysis is the tremendous opportunity and advantage which rests with locum tenens companies who are so critically positioned in the mid-field between physicians and practices.
For any physician completing their residency with the foresight that their practice may have multiple definitions during their career, contact early and often with a respected and proven locum tenens consultant may be as important as the relationships they have developed with their medical school educators and colleagues.
Locum tenens provides the opportunity throughout a medical career to re-qualify, and refocus a physician's clinical interests, personal ambition and educational opportunities without being drawn away from the important and satisfying practice of medicine.
Restarting a career that has been allowed to wind down is difficult and time consuming as Ms. Beaulieu explains. Certainly, the locum tenens arena can be a valuable resource for physicians returning to practice. Well established locums companies have valuable relationships with clients which can, and will, accommodate the procedure supervision that is required to re-establish or re-certify clinical skills. However, when fully utilized as an ace in reserve, a career long affiliation with a legacy locums company is a priceless asset in keeping options open for physicians who wish to maintain long and productive careers.