Healthcare facilities across the nation are dealing with staffing shortages at this point, and they’re expected to grow worse in the years to come. This gap between the supply of and the demand for qualified medical professionals is taking a toll on hospitals and clinics as well as their staff members and patients. It’s leading to high staff turnover rates, poor patient outcomes, higher costs, and an array of additional problems.
An estimated two-thirds of medical facilities are turning to locum tenens providers to help bridge the gap and mitigate the problems that come along with it. Locum tenens providers can offer a long list of benefits for medical facilities. They help them deal with staffing shortages so they can give their permanent staff members time off, continue to provide high-quality care for their patients, and address fluctuations in patient loads to name a few advantages.
Optimizing the Benefits of Hiring Locum Tenens Providers
That being said, not all medical facilities are empowering themselves to take full advantage of all those benefits. Some are inadvertently hampering their efforts with inefficient recruiting, vetting, credentialing, and hiring processes. Several resources, including extra help at Locumsmart, are available to aid in streamlining their locum tenens processes and optimizing the benefits of incorporating these professionals into their teams.
VMS Platforms
VMS platforms are among the most effective tools available to healthcare facilities for improving their locum tenens processes. With the right vendor management system, medical facilities can cover virtually every phase of the locum tenens process from a single platform. That includes connecting with staffing agencies, finding qualified candidates, vetting, credentialing, handling contracts, and paying salaries. These platforms alone can greatly simplify and speed up the locum tenens process.
Credentialing Software
Software designed specifically for the credentialing process is also available. It automates the tasks involved in verifying and managing locum tenens providers’ credentials to eliminate much of the paperwork and virtually all of the manual responsibilities that would otherwise be required. It can keep essential information and documents, like education, work history, malpractice coverage, licenses, and certifications, organized and check them against nationally recognized verification sources.
Additionally, credentialing software keeps track of expiration dates and alerts administrators when physicians or nurses need to update their licenses and certifications. It takes into account various industry standards and regulations to ensure users remain in compliance with them. It can integrate with healthcare facilities’ privileging systems as well to help make the onboarding process go more smoothly.
Scheduling Software
Scheduling software is another important tool for healthcare facilities. It can help users determine when and where temporary team members are needed and aid in arranging for them to be on staff. It also points out potential scheduling issues, such as double bookings, gaps, and exceeding consecutive shift limits. It often integrates with timekeeping and payroll systems to ensure greater accuracy. Some scheduling software features predictive analytics to forecast changes in staffing needs based on past trends and other factors.
Streamlining the Locum Tenens Process
Numerous tools and resources are available to help healthcare facilities streamline their locum tenens processes from VMS platforms to digital onboarding systems and beyond. Each one does its part to reduce manual tasks, improve efficiency and accuracy, and help users reap the full benefits of hiring locum tenens providers. Not all solutions are a perfect fit for every medical facility, but they offer diverse features and advantages that can accommodate users’ unique needs.
