Healthcare facilities use locum doctors to fill gaps.
When hospitals or any other medical facility suddenly experience the loss of a valued staff member, many centers hire on locum tenens to fill the void until a permanent match is found. Pratt Regional Medical Center recently lost its general surgeon, Dr. Jake Breeding, according to the Pratt Tribune. While the facility searches for a replacement, Dr. Collin Myers will be covering for general surgery until a permanent placement is made. Managers at Pratt Regional tell the news provider that using locum tenens is a common practice to ensure that patients are still receiving the care they need despite the hospital losing a staff member. "Finding the right person for the job is top priority," PRMC president and chief executive officer (CEO), Susan Page explained. "It is not uncommon at all for hospitals and physician clinics to use locum tenens." Many hospitals use locum tenens on a regular basis. Statistics suggest that up to 80 percent of all hospital staff work for a temporary period.
