The burnout of medical staff is a serious issue among doctors. But it can also affect the experience of patients. Avoiding high turnover among health workers is one of the best antidotes to burnout in medical professionals.
Another way to reduce stress and burnout for doctors is through outsourcing required medical services, through locum tenens, hiring temporary doctors who can help strengthen the medical team of a facility when specific support is needed, but not readily available.
How Common Is Burnout Among Doctors
There are reports of high levels of stress among doctors aged between 45 and 55, and the main cause is long working hours and high stress in medical centers. Encouraging medical providers to work with locum doctors in critical areas is a solution for medical centers. It allows their permanent staff to work fewer hours, attend training, or simply enjoy a well-deserved vacation to relax and recover from the stress of regular work.
Having a pool of ‘replacement doctors’ on hand ensures a better quality of care, which will undoubtedly reduce stress on medical staff and keep the best staff doctors happily working in the medical center for longer.
Sources For Locum Doctors
There are numerous physician recruiter firms that can place temporary doctors in different positions and offer payment of the necessary insurance for medical errors, which can reduce costs. In fact, many doctors get their temporary jobs through agencies or medical recruiters.
These agencies also help doctors find areas where there is a need for temporary cover, such as in busy hospitals and doctor’s offices or in small communities. Smaller GP practices sometimes employ senior doctors, through physician recruiters, to fill hours that the practice cannot offer its patients, otherwise, it could not open for business.
Locums Are In Demand
In many hospitals and medical practices, locum doctors are an integral part of the full-time medical staff on site. While statistics on how many doctors work in hospitals can vary, in most hospitals it is common to find between 50 and 80 temporary doctors.
Locums Know How To Deal With Patients
Although some patients may have concerns about being seen by a locum doctor; after all, the patient might have a stable relationship with their regular doctor, and they will not feel comfortable with the exchange. But they should not be concerned, as it should not be forgotten that temporary doctors have the same rights and obligations as full-time doctors in hospitals or health facilities.
Assignment And Contractual Details
The exact details of each locum assignment are normally set out in a contract. It details professional fees, hourly rates, as well as clauses that allow doctors to leave the temporary position if they need to for any reason. It is important that health facilities that employ locum doctors read the contract carefully to ensure that the terms are fully understood and cover their needs.
Using an experienced physician recruiter can help alleviate the stress felt by many doctors, who constantly work under pressure. When not overworked, doctors can provide better patient care and also avoid feeling burnt out.
