Certainly, not all people are created equally, and the same is true of hospitalists.
There are many specialty areas in the medical profession, and every doctor has both a unique skillset and experiences that make them different from everyone else.
If you’re an agency that is looking to contract a hospitalist for locum tenens, what are some things you should be looking for?
Here are a few ideas.
Experience
Some physicians who take on locum tenens assignments are fresh off their residencies, while others have many years of experience.
The big questions for your agency are what are you looking for and what do your hospital clients want?
You might choose to take on hospitalists with varied experience levels so that you can place them appropriately with different types of hospitals.
Younger professionals, for instance, are usually more eager to learn new disciplines and try new things, whereas more experienced professionals tend to stick with the areas in which they excel and not test boundaries as much.
Technical Abilities
In today’s hospitals, paper charts have been replaced by computers and tablets.
Solid proficiency with computer- and Web-based charting is essential when looking for a locum tenens hospitalist.
They must have familiarity with electronic health records (EHR) systems, as those are universally applicable to be compliant with HIPAA and other federal regulations.
This technical skill will allow the locum tenens hospitalist you place to integrate quickly in their new environment and provide your client excellent service.
Speaking of regulations, while your agency may assist in getting your team of locum tenens licensed, that is one very important aspect to consider when hiring.
Ensure any potential candidates are able to be licensed (or already are) and can be insured for medical malpractice.
Bedside Manner
Obviously, this is more of a soft skill, but it’s an important trait for the patients in the care of the locum tenens hospitalist.
While hospital patients will not spend vast amounts of time with their temporary hospital doctors, they still need to feel comfortable, heard, and valued.
That means the locum tenens hospitalist you choose should be able to build rapport quickly as well as communicate effectively.
Being nice, easy to talk to, and a good listener are all excellent traits for your locum tenens hospitalist.
A Desire to Give Back to the Community
One of the main reasons physicians choose locum tenens assignments is so they can focus more on patient care. They can be assigned to hospitals across the country, which means that they are working in a variety of different types of communities on a short-term basis.
Locum tenens tend to have a strong commitment to giving back and working with a diverse group of individuals.
If you’re looking at candidates has that represent the above, you’ve likely found someone who will make an incredible locum tenens hospitalist—no matter where you send them.