Staff Care surveyed client and non-client healthcare executives and locum tenens physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants and reported the following key statistics.
- 91 percent of healthcare facility managers used locum tenens physicians in 2014, up from 73.6 percent in 2012.
- 34.8 percent of healthcare facility managers used locum tenens physicians for primary care in 2014.
- 73 percent of healthcare facility managers used a minimum of one temporary physician per month.
- 18 percent used more than four per month.
- 25 percent used temporary nurse practitioners and physician assistants in 2014, up significantly from 9.5 percent in 2012.
- 68 percent use temporary clinicians while seeking permanent staff.
- 10.1 percent said they use temporary clinicians to address the increasing number of patients seeking care as a result of the PPACA.
- 21 percent of physicians reported started practicing locum tenens directly after their residencies in 2014, compared to 14.3 percent in 2012.
- 14 percent of temporary physicians are 40 years old or younger, compared to 6.9 percent who were 40 years old or younger in 2012.
- 24.3 percent of temporary physicians started working locum tenens after retiring from permanent practice in 2014, compared to 36.5 percent in 2012.
- 64 percent of physicians said temporary practice is equally satisfying as permanent practice.
- 27 percent of physicians practicing locum tenens are seeking permanent employment.
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